


From the bowl of madness I look up toward you

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
Genre: Agent Stone has a kink and it's his superpower to be Robotnik's assistant change my mind, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coronavirus, Honorable mention of the Coronavirus, Hope, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Post-Canon, Pre-Slash, Relief, baby Shadow the Hedgehog, it could be if the second film starts differently in how they reunite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 29,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22918123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: Robotnik returns and Agent Stone does his best to help him.
Relationships: Dr. Eggman | Dr. Robotnik/Agent Stone
Comments: 11
Kudos: 138





	1. Calling Agent Stone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Drakine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drakine/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to Drakine for giving the Stobonik fandom the fanon first name of Agent Stone.

Rise like a Phoenix by Conchita Wurst played from the device left beside a resting figure on a bed for a few moments then rang again for another moments after it stopped. The figure slumped their hand over and felt around the counter knocking over ash trays, magazines, wrappers, cups, and what not until it fell on the flat and rectangular device. The device was picked up then it was faced toward the figure with a stumble. The figure swept aside on the button that made the white screen highlight their face.

“Is this Agent Aban Lee Stone?”

“Yes, sir.” Stone said, tiredly.

“Agent Stone, we need you."

"What is this assignment this time, sir?" His eyes were partially open and close staring at the dark ceiling.

"It's about Doctor Robotnik." Stone bolted up from bed with a start as his eyes flew open. "He came back late this morning and crashed in rural Alabama."

Stone fell out of bed with a thud.

"Did he land safely?" Stone asked.

"Yes," was the reply. "But, we are not sure if he is himself."

Stone slid open the curtains and his eyes were initially blinded by the bright white sheet of snow blanketing the window of his apartment in Chicago and the surrounding landscape.

“Be right there, sir.” Stone said. "Won't regret making this call, sir."

He heard a sigh of relief.

“I will text you the address.”

In a hour, Stone’s fallen apart looks were put back neatly together and so was his pointed beard of sorrow. He cleaned up his apartment for the first time in months discarding take out food into the trash can, chucked his dirty clothing into the washer, and began to prepare Doctor Robotnik’s latte.

He took out the small latte warmer device from the closet standing on the tips of his toes that he had gotten a present in his first year working for the older man. Stone grinned then proceeded to make himself a latte as well and heard singing. It was a moment that caused him to pause as he realized where the singing was coming from: Himself. And he resumed on singing cheerfully making the lattes. _  
_

_Doctor Robotnik is back.  
_


	2. Face to face with someone unpersoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robotnik and Stone come face to face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not a fic that farms kudos just because this ship is popular. This is just throwing this out there with a scene idea I totally saw happening as I exited the theater. A little scene but it'll be easy to spot. . . Hopefully.

Stone arrived, as requested, at the lone government approved asylum that was classified as top secret. It was for all the scientists that they had acquired, all the interns, all the former test subjects that had lost their minds for the name of science. He slammed his door close then tugged his sleeve down. He felt along his trimmed back goatee and stubble that connected along to it. And he felt himself.

Prepared for what he was going to see, he had long accepted that Robotnik would be lost and a shell of himself if he were to ever return from where Sonic’s guardian had informed him to be. Stone went up the stairs approaching the doorway as his boots crunched in the snow. The doorway slid open before him then Stone walked in silently ceasing to whistle merrily.

“I am here for Doctor Ivo Robotnik.” Stone told the receptionist.

“Room sixty, sixth level.” The receptionist replied.

“Above?” Stone asked.

“Below.” The receptionist said.

“Thank you.” Stone said.

Stone went to the elevator then selected the small button reading ‘6u’. The elevator darted to the lower level of the facility and the lights from the side beamed on and off. The elevator rolled down to a pause then the doors came open. He was greeted by a familiar officer.

“Oi, Stone!”

“Aye, Brandon!”

Stone embraced the taller man then stepped back with a smile while keeping the latte’s carefully kept away from his friend.

“Do you know each other?” The second agent asked.

“Know him?” Brandon said with a laugh. “We grew up together on the same block!”

“I see you got a new gig.” Stone said.

“Sweet compared to the last one.” Brandon smiled. “Why are you here?”

“Doctor Robotnik.” Stone replied.

“Oh, OH, he’s here?” Brandon asked.

“Oh no,” the second agent said. “That’s bad.”

“In the flesh.” Stone said.

The two agents stepped aside then the man of lattes came forward walking past them. Eventually, he came to the door that was listed as sixty. He waved his hand in front of the door then watched the man who’s chest was buff and expanded than how he had last seen him pacing back and forth ranting about being “Why those imbeciles left me in the tiniest, smallest, insubordinating room that is the LEAST comfortable--”

“Like a latte?” Stone asked.

His broken red goggles glinted as he jumped back with a girly shriek and planted his back against the wall.

“Agent Stone!” Robotnik exclaimed. “Why do you feel the need to surprise me like that?”

“To make your day better.” He yanked the latte out of the man's held out hand. “How have you been?”

“Fine given the journey that we took for the last two months in hyperspace was the ABSOLUTE WORST! My eyes! They haven’t quite recovered.” he took the latte handed out by Stone. “Static! So much tinfoil!” He took a sip then hummed. “Ah. That hits the spot.”

Robotnik looked up toward Stone then frowned.

“Where have you been? Last I saw you when we were separated after getting back to Earth. . . you were in the passenger seat, resting, like a stone. So _quiet_.”

Without missing a beat, randomly guessing that he carved his face into a rock and dubbed it as him for companionship, Stone smiled. Even as he felt his heart break and threatened to be overwhelmed in tears. The man was lonely for several months. He was right; he had fallen over the brink and fallen into the bowl of madness. But, given that Robotnik saw him and was interacting with Stone actively: there was still some hope of sanity.

“Just becoming reacquainted to Earth," Stone replied. "How do you feel, Doctor?”

“ _Much_ better.” Robotnik said.

“Did the craft make it during the landing?" Stone asked. "I forgot with being home, filing paperwork, and all, doctor."

“Most of the landing was difficult to do with what little fuel I had left of a alien crashed passenger ship; but, yes, I was able to salvage myself _and_ you.”

“Ah. . ." Stone said. "I see.”

“Where am I, anyway?” Robotnik waved a hand as he took another sip.

“You’re in a holding center, Doctor." Stone explained. "I will make sure that you get out of here.”

“Is it Christmas, though?” Robotnik asked.

“It’s the 25th.”

“Ah ha! I knew I would triumph! Correctly deduced my return to Earth!” he stretched his arms out with a grin. “Oh and--” He yanked out from underneath his neck, out of the suit, up a black and red ball with curled texture similar to the creature that they had been chasing after with gold bands that stood out against the spines that reminded him of quills. “Look what I made in the mean time!" He took another sip from the latte as he perfectly balanced the ball. "I made a little rat! Look at my little rat!”

“That’s a cat.” Stone said looking upon the ears that stood out.

“Nooooo, you stinking little idiot." Robotnik slapped him at the face. "It’s a baby!" Stone went over then picked it up and approached the older man handing it back. Robotnik snatched the latte out of his hands as Stone rubbed the side of his cheek with a smile. "You're supposed to be more intelligent when you are around me, dumb ass."

Stone approached the little fur ball then watched it uncurled.

“I was trying to make a renewable energy source that was compliant and fully grown during the trip back." Robotnik said, sheepishly---sheepishly was a tone that Stone didn't hear often from Robotnik. "And instead I made a shadow of the over grown rat."

"Looks not that even similar." Stone said.

"As a ball, course." Robotnik said. "But unraveled, extremely similar."

"Your copy must be better than the original." Stone noted

Robotnik nodded in agreement, optimistically, a little too rapidly.

"I’m calling him Shadow Robotnik.” Robotnik looked up toward Stone. “But,” Robotnik smiled as he looked up toward the cradled little creature in his arms and winced. “I don’t think this little rat deserves to be around me."

"Why?" Stone asked. "You are it's creator. It deserves to be given the chance to be raised by the one who made the spawn."

Robotnik sighed, annoyed.

"We had this argument." Robotnik said. "This baby deserves full attention upon it and being treated as a organic unit."

"And you are right." Stone agreed with a nod. "I forgot about that." It was Stone's turn to be sheepish with a small laugh. "You don't really care for raising organic beings and treating them right."

"And this could be the focus of my cousin’s full attention." Robotnik said. "Gerald’s little girl needs a friend out there on that classified space station. Something, new. Something different. Something to break the boring lifestyle that she has in the ugly cold bitterness above."

Robotnik pointed up then scowled looking down upon the resting ball.

"I am afraid that little dicks up there are going to screw with my little stupid shadow ball." Robotnik said. "And and and and and---”

Stone reached out putting a hand on Robotnik’s shoulder.

“You are making the right decision.” Stone assured.

Robotnik’s troubled features melted away just like that then he put the small bundle of resting fur into his uniform where it rested beneath his neck with a snore and Stone withdrew his hand.

“It’s just Shadow Robotnik between us, right?" Robotnik asked. "I don’t need to be known as softy around small stupid little agents like you.”

“You’re not softy, sir." Stone nodded. "In fact, you are a very mean man.”

“That’s the way I like it.” Robotnik grinned. "I have everyone to respect me from here."

“Then what is it called?” Stone asked. "The little cat."

"Shadow the Hedgehog." Robotnik shrugged. "That is all I got to give him.” Robotnik took another sip from the cup. “Ahhh." he licked his lips with a delighted sigh and a smile closing his eyes. "I have missed the mere taste of Austrian goat milk.” He glared toward Stone. "When am I going to be transported to my lab and get that stubborn hedgehog?"

"Soon." Stone assured.

Robotnik grinned then shoved the furball into Stone's uniform.

"Once you are out, I like you to slap yourself silly."

"Yes, sir."

"And dump that latte on your head."

"Yes, sir."

"Then drive naked."

"Yes, sir."

"Also make sure they haven't shut down my lair. I need a functioning shower. And make sure it's ready for that transport system to 'all-too-loving-nicey-dicey-over-protective' Gerald, would you?"

"Yes, Doctor."

"That's good. And turn on the Badniks to clean up the place."

"Is that all?"

"That is all. By the way, is Maria getting any better?"

"No, Doctor. She is worse." Robotnik paled. "She is living in the hospital wing that you designed for her these days. Last time I heard; she liked the playground you sent to her and the holograms."

Robotnik sucked in a breath then exhaled.

"Has Gerald . . . decided . . . to do what she has been asking?"

"Help to go?"

"That very merciful act of love." Robotnik snapped his fingers then rolled his eyes. "People keep talking about it but when it comes to that request? They don't act of love for them."

"No."

Robotnik shook his head in disappointment.

"What a complete moron."

"Sir, are you still going after the hedgehog?"

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeell yeeeeeeeeeeeessssss!" Robotnik paused, then sipped from the latte. "I like to do some very specialized probing and seeing as that this little rat is too small enough for me to do that and delicate; I need a full sized specimen." He turned toward Stone. "That is all I need from you."

"Yes, sir."

And Stone exited with a plan.

Before Stone left the facility, he did as Robotnik requested.

It was the most delightfully but refreshing experience that made him feel happy wearing a grin knowing the new year ahead was going to be better than this year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I checked out Shadow's background before writing this fic. Although it was Robotnik's idea in my head as he took that unexpected fur ball out.


	3. Sonic's family

It was Christmas morning in the Wachowski house. The door to Sonic's attic fell down to the floor with a tug by Maddie. Sonic rolled down with a crash to the floor. The hedgehog bounced up to his feet a second not too late sprouting out, "It is _Christmas_!" off the top of his lungs. His voice was very loud and excited for a alien humanoid hedgehog. 

Maddie watched him bolt on by her heading toward the living room then sat down at the living room.

"How many Christmases have you had?" Maddie asked.

Sonic picked up a large box and shook it from side to side trying to determine what it was.

"Counting this one? Uh, observational Carl gave me a couple." Sonic said. Carefully, Sonic peeled open the box at a time as though he would use the paper for later then slid the box open. He peered into the box then his green eyes bolted open and he shoved the lid off. "OOoh, roller skates!"

He slipped off his shoes and put his feet into them.

"Roller skates! Roller skates!" Sonic turned around then started to wheel forward but tripped and fell into Tom's arms ending up to be upside down. "Roller skates!"

"I told you that he would like them." Tom said with a chuckle. 

"When did Carl leave things out for you?" Maddie asked.

"A month after I came to Green Hills." Sonic said. "His first trap had a large winter hat." Tom's heart broke as he started to visualize Sonic as a little creature wearing a small hat that covered his ears and some of his spines. "I used it for a entire winter in my cave and wore it out."

"Did he keep that up?" Maddie asked.

"He did." Sonic nodded.

"Sonic, the paper is made to be ripped apart." Tom said.

"Habit." Sonic said. "That will take awhile to go away."

"What did you use the paper for, Sonic?" Maddie asked.

"Quilts with lost articles of clothing. " Sonic said. "They helped me last through the cold nights. I had a victorian book to help me with that part."

The doorbell rang and Maddie was the first to get up.

"I will get it." Maddie said. "Open the rest of your presents."

Maddie was followed by Ozzy to the front door then opened the door and was greeted by a stark naked Stone stand in the cold as a breeze came in through the doorway. Maddie's eyes flashed open then relaxed, it wasn't exactly the weirdest thing that she had seen or the most appalling. She lifted her attention up as her mind jumped to a lunatic streaker on the loose until she recognized the face of the man who had entered only what was half a year ago into her home, bound her up including Sonic, sedated Ozzy, and had made Tom answer where Robotnik was.

"Doctor Wachowski, I have a Christmas present for Sonic." Stone started, calmly, but soothingly. "And if he doesn't open it, Doctor Robotnik is going to be a problem in your tails for the rest of his time here."

"What is the present?" Maddie asked.

"Getting to stay." Stone said. "Three caveats. His full cooperation and yours. You and your husband can be there every step of the way."

"Every step?" Maddie asked. 

"Every step." Stone nodded. 

"And your boss approves of it?" Maddie asked, skeptically.

"He is very insane and I like to set up a simulation in which he can poke and prod Sonic so he can be back to the way he was before." Stone said. "I am inviting horror artists to help me out."

"Why do you need horror artists?" Maddie asked. 

"We like to open him up-- sedated--- and get a idea of what to exaggerate and replicate with practical effects." Stone explained. "Paid for by the Government."

Ozzy whined, wagging his tail, tilting his head from side to side.

"I have to discuss this with my husband and Sonic."

"Please, do." Stone handed Maddie a light weight silver and cold gray card. "You have five hours to determine how you want this Christmas to end; in fear or taking a stand against losing all that you have."

"Or feeling relieved that we had evaded a trap that your friend has set up?" Her brows hunched together.

"I don't blame you for thinking that." Stone said.

"You look cold." Maddie opened the closet door, took out a ratted old jacket, slid it off the coat hangar, then held it out. "Have a jacket."

Stone looked down toward it with a smile then back up toward Maddie as he started to shake his head.

"I am not going to get dressed until my employer requests I do." Stone replied.

"That's inhumane." Maddie said as she shoved it into his hands.

"I don't mind." Stone smirked while handing it back to her.

"Why?" Maddie asked returning the jacket back into his hands. 

"It's my Christmas present." Then waved with a smile handing it back into her hands and the unusual comment left Maddie frozen in place halting her from handing it back to Stone. "Merry Christmas, Sheriff, Doctor."

Stone turned around then descended down the stairs as Maddie turned around to find Tom was covering Sonic's eyes.

"Tom, uncover my eyes, I want to see what is going on!" Sonic plead.

Maddie closed the door behind the departing assistant. She looked down toward the card as Stone walked in the cold heading back into his black SUV. He closed the door then turned up the heat inside the vehicle and backed the car out of the drive way looking toward the small screen showing his surroundings. Then the SUV drove off away from the Wachowski household.


	4. Calling Professor Robotnik

The door to the lair opened for the first time in several months. He pulled into the parking bay for the SUV then carried the bag of clothing holding the small fur ball in his arms. He looked down upon the ball that yawned revealing the toothless gums. He went into the transport bay then typed in the address. The coordinates popped up on the holographic screen above him and a distinctive audio line appeared. A old man with a square jaw and a large graying mustache that was similar to Robotnik's appeared on the screen.

"Hello," Gerald said. "who is this?"

"This is Aban--"

"Ah, Agent Stone!" Gerald cut Stone off with a smile. "Good to see you!"

"I to you." Stone nodded, slowly, but just as happy.

"I see that my grand son has returned by the looks of it." Gerald said. "How long ago?"

"Just this morning." Stone replied.

"Good! I knew he would find his way back! After everything. . ." Gerald said. "He found his way to me after years in the system." His glasses glint with pride, fondness, and admiration for his grandson. "So, what does Ivo wish to tell me that he can't do himself?"

"It is for Maria." Stone said.

"A gift!" Gerald cried in delight then his face fell. "Is it. . Is it. . . Is it safe for her immune system?"

"He personally hid it and kept it in a controlled environment." Stone replied.

"Then send it up here." Gerald said.

Stone took the little ball out of his clothing then sent it into the large tube and stepped off. Stone approached the console then put on shades and pressed enter. In a flair of bright light the creature vanished before his eyes then the younger man shifted his attention to the screen. From the other end, Gerald turned way to face the teleportation device. A cry came from across as he gasped covering his mouth that sounded similar to a baby crying.

"Grandpa?"

Gerald went to the machine.

"Ssssh shshh shh shh shh!"

"Grandpa? What is making that noise?" Maria appeared on the screen as she approached the other side of the lab in her blue matching uniform. "Awww, is that my new relative?" She picked up a chair and came over to his side then dropped it beside him. "Is it? Are they in a suit?" She climbed up on to a chair joining her grandfather's side. "What is the name of this baby?"

"His name is Shadow." Stone replied over the wailing then Maria's eyes slightly widened watching big brown eyes open then stare up at her and she gasped as she stood on her tips of her toes on toward the baby that was briefly calm staring back her in curiosity. "Shadow the Hedgehog."

"Officer Bliterant, please get me baby formula." Gerald said. 

"Yes, Professor!" Bliterant sprinted out of the room.

"Officer Haze, please get me a blanket."

"Yes, Professor!" Haze walked out of the room.

"Officer May, get me a diaper."

"Yes, Professor." May jogged out of the room.

"Tell Ivo that I hate it already." Gerald grumbled.

"I love him, grandpa." Maria said.

Gerald took one look at his grand daughter then smiled looking upon her.

"Never mind, Aban." Gerald said. "Tell Izo that we love and deeply cherish Shadow."

"Yes, sir." Stone replied as the officers returned into the room. "Will convey that to him soon as possible."

Stone chuckled then turned off the machine with a smile.


	5. Luck has everything to do with it

"Hey puny rock walled agents, I have to use the restroom and I can't keep my legs crossed much longer."

One of the agents stationed alongside Robotnik's room stepped aside then peered in spotting the man holding a reusable latte mug in one hand. The door was slid open then the older man came out of the room. The agents guided Robotnik to the men's room then stepped aside. Robotnik ducked inside the men's room and sang a children's song in a way that sounded creepy. Robotnik returned then handed the cup to a agent.

"Return this to my assistant." Robotnik replied. "Or, when I get out of this holding center I am going to have you cease to exist."

The two agents stiffened then exchanged a glance with the other.

"Is there a more accommodating room reserved for me?" Robotnik asked. "Like say, some books or a game to distract?"

"We have etch a sketch."

"Give me it in the next five minutes or be killed by your smart house once I am out. . agent. . ."

"Agent Unknown." Unknown replied.

"Alright, Agent Unknown." Robotnik said, scanning him from top to bottom then bit his lip momentarily as his looks grew dark. "Get me it or your life will be miserable with everything you get with digital currency after my release."

Agent Unknown speed walked down the corridor as Robotnik was taken back to his holding cell.

Robotnik folded his arms waiting patiently.

In a next moment, a etch a sketch, a couple twinkies, solar charger, napkins, and a Nintendo related device and a dozen video games landed to the floor. 

Robotnik scanned the room until he found a window then placed the suction cupped solar energy charger device, hooked the charger into it, then plugged it into the Nintendo and charged it. He sat at the corner then proceeded to sketch on the etch a sketch quite determined on making a image. And as the hours ticked by, he made a image of Sonic speeding ahead of him with a grin, spines and all, waving back. 

"I am going to get you, little rat!" Robotnik lashed out.

Robotnik threw aside the device then unwrapped the twinkie and started to have his late breakfast.

A few moments later, Robotnik marched back toward the device, hunched over, picked it up, then shook it until the image was gone.

"Now to start my design plans." Robotnik said with a grin.

* * *

Sonic was scared as he went into the lab with Maddie and Tom. He was visibly afraid as he moved with a tremble and looked on back the direction that they had came. Tom and Maddie squeezed his hands that were gloved in white gloves then Sonic looked up toward them feeling some of the fear evaporate. Tom motioned toward his gun then gave a thumbs up. And Sonic's mind jumped to back to a earlier conversation.

_"If they start going against our plan, I am going to shoot that Stone in the forehead and insist self defense!"_

_"Tom!"_

_"I will have probable cause to murder someone trying to experiment with my son and make us force to watch him be dissected." Tom replied as Sonic stared in silence at the words coming from Tom. "I can't stand by and watch that. Neither can you. You would do it with a medical tool and get yourself covered in blood. This just has gun powder residue."_

_"I do approve of your train of thought," Maddie said. "But, we don't make those kind of threats with a child around."_

_"I completely forgot." Tom smacked his forehead. "If I say that around Sonic then I am no good than the rotten man who chased us across the country."_

_"Pretzel Lady, Doughnut lord. . ." The two looked down toward Sonic and knelt down to his level as he sat on a stool in front of the kitchen table. "You. . . You. . You . . . You call me son?"_

_The couple nodded at once._

_"How could we not?" Tom put a hand on Sonic's shoulder and so did Maddie on his other side. "You're more than a friend, Sonic."_

_"You're family." Maddie said._

_"Longclaw would have loved you." Sonic said._

_"And we would have liked knowing her." Maddie said._

His thoughts eased from the earlier conversation then was brought to the medical bay that was part of a group of large pod shaped chambers in the chamber. The glass door slid open before his eyes as he went between the two parental figures. A flat cold sheet of metal appeared before them then with a couple motions of metal arms and bed sheets layered on top of the other; it appeared to be a cot in all appearances with fluff underneath it.

It darkened in the lair as the couple looked around under the florescent lights of the chamber.

"I have acquired the sedatives and equipment that you have specified, Doctor Wachowski."

Stone's voice came from the dark as he walked forward with his hands linked behind his back.

Tom covered Sonic's eyes.

"Tom, stop that!" Sonic said. "This is getting old."

"Never." Tom said. "You're too young to watch a grown man be naked."

"I have seen you and Pretzel Lady watch the spy who dumped me so I can!" Sonic insisted.

"Sonic, when this is over, you're grounded for a entire week!" Tom said.

"But--" Sonic began to protest.

"No buts." Maddie cut him off.

"I did that two years ago!" Sonic replied with Tom's eyes glaring upon him.

"Don't make me increase how long you've been grounded, mister." Tom said.

"I watched Riddick with Tom a year ago when he was sick." Sonic said.

"You're grounded for two weeks!" Tom said. "And I am going to bolt down your skylight until being grounded is over." he pointed down toward the hedgehog. "Don't even _think_ about sneaking out the attic window."

"Are you ready for the operation?" Stone's voice drew them out of the squabble.

"We are." Sonic said as Tom stood in the way of Stone once uncovering Sonic's eyes. "I am ready, I am ready, I am ready!"

Stone looked up in amusement toward the couple.

"Sure you want to be there to see what he looks like by the inside, Doctor, Sheriff?"

"We are sure." Tom replied.

"I have seen worse." Maddie replied.

It was Maddie who picked up Sonic then set him on the table. Tom sat down alongside Sonic squeezing his hand. 

"Don't be scared, Tom." Sonic said.

"How are you not scared?" Tom asked.

"Because you make me brave," Sonic said, looking from Tom to Maddie.

Tom brought Sonic into a hug that Maddie joined in.

"You make us invincible, Sonic." Maddie said.

"You, too." Sonic said, feeling tears growing from along his eyes and he flicked them off with his fingers.

Slowly, Tom and Maddie stopped the hug from along the young hedgehog. Sonic set himself on to the bed. It was Maddie who placed the small mask on to his face then watch him slip under the fog of lethargy. Sonic's smiled while facing them as his vision began to darken. _I am so lucky to have choose them_ , Sonic thought. All until the dark caught him.

The eggbots proceeded to hook him up to several machines that provided vitals and kept his health in tact.

Tom reached his hand out beside him then Maddie took it and squeezed it as they waited for the players of the plan to arrive.

A group of people older than Tom arrived to the scene carrying notebooks and drawing pads then the machines carefully performed a 'y' incision. 

Tom and Maddie stood behind Sonic as people stared at the anatomy then poked a bit and jotted down on their papers then proceeded to collect the loose spines at a time dropping them into plastic bags. It felt to be a eternity as they were ignored and Sonic was being paid attention. It wasn't too strange for Sonic to have all the attention on him since the first day of school had him at the focus of attention.

Stone watched from the dark a the crowd of artists and biologists murmured together regarding what they were to do and effectively create a artistic inspiration from the operation.

Then the egg bots stitched him back together effectively as the crowd dispersed once the two hours were over.

It was Tom who picked up Sonic then walked away cradling him. 

Maddie turned toward Stone as he turned off the medical bay pod chamber and the glass door came down from the upper support beams. 


	6. A night call with Doctor Robotnik

It was nightfall when Robotnik was given a phone by one of the agents and he put in the number to the lair. The buttons were small and compact as he jabbed his finger into the keyboard multiple times then looked up watching the phone ring on the screen. It had been a long time since he had gotten to use it on a daily basis and the muscle memory regarding using it had all but faded away.

"Hello," Stone greeted smoothly. "Lab is fully ready."

"Excellent!" Robotnik said. "Are you still naked?"

"Yes, sir." Stone replied.

"I like you to put on a women's speedo until further notice." Robotnik said. "At least until I am out. Then put on your uniform."

"Yes, sir." Stone replied. "Anything else?"

"I like to be out of this small and tiny cell." Robotnik grumbled.

"They like to be sure that you don't have a alien virus," Stone replied. "There was a virus going around that killed people in their fifties and beyond--"

"What was it called?" Robotnik asked.

"The Coronavirus." Stone replied. "It was designated a bl-3 in February by the CDC. Gone, now."

"Bacteria air-borne virus." Robotnik said.

"It killed tens of thousands of people in Europe, Doctor." Stone continued to explain. "Close to a million people died in Wuhan and there are so many strains around the world that it was hard to eliminate it at first. The Chinese doctors were on the front lines fighting against it and made a cure for it. But not without losing their own in the war against the virus."

"How long did it last?" Robotnik asked. "I wasn't aware of it . . ."

"It started last December from what I learned and it was largely being covered up by the Chinese government." Stone explained to the doctor. From the other end, Robotnik's nerves began to get shot. His hand clenched on to the flip phone as his rage began to build up. "It only ended two months ago."

"Did you self-quarantine?" Robotnik asked.

"I self quarantined after you left." Stone replied. "Just as the rest of America over the denial of the US Government that the Virus was of any threat to us."

"Least you have some worth while intelligence to keep you alive." Robotnik sounded _grateful_ to Stone. "Agent Stone, I like you to forward the names of the people who had a hand in the cover up and putting their stupid heads in the ground waiting for it to go away. I am going to make lots of lives miserable."

"Yes, sir." Stone replied. 

"By the way," Robotnik started. "who won the election?"

"The same man who won the first election." Stone replied. 

There was silence over the line as it sunk in. A long moment of silence. 

"He--What?"

"He won."

"What the ever loving hell was every stupid little person on when they did that?"

"Denial." Stone replied. "Isolationism. Racism."

"Those small, tiny, pathetic little cards decided the future of this planet and everyone is okay with it?"

"No, sir." Stone said. "I am not okay with it. Haven't been since the announcement. Remember Babylon 5 and President Clark's slow descent into. . ."

"Why yes I do!" Robotnik said. "The nightwatch." Robotnik winced as he vividly recalled the sad descent of the future fall into what he was watching happening. "Calling shop owners traitors and committing treason for removing his propaganda on their windows. That is the acts of a moron. Did that happen?"

"Yes, sir."

"That is a spoiled pickle." Robotnik said. "Anything else?"

"Well," Stone said. "The President declared Martial Law recently with tensions against Iran and North Korea have gone up more than they had before. . . And the navy ships and submarines haven't returned for quite some time to port. I heard there was a raid in the Pentagon and most of the senior staff were able to get out in the cross fire. The president has only said that it was a hoax but social media has proof of other wise and it was archived before they made twitter delete the evidence." Stone only heard the man take in a sharp breath of air then exhale. "I just recently checked some of my colleagues and they say there is a civil war coming."

Stone overheard Robotnik swearing and saying colorful words that he hadn't imagined to be capable of coming from the older man. Screams of fury, anger, outrage, and heartbreak until it broke down into distant sobs. It was that way until there was silence. And the silence was disturbing. More disturbing than he had ever heard. The lack of a playlist being played, the lack of electrical sparking, the lack of the man humming, or any form of noise told him something of massive proportions was going to happen. 

"Is the CIA mission still on the table?"

"They just sent the last email asking for you to take out the national security risk and his vice president."

"Tell them I am on it after probing the overgrown rat."

"Yes, sir."

"Agent Stone, I don't often have agents waiting for me and willing to be my assistant after my absence." Robotnik said. "So I would like if you checked up on a previous invention of mine."

"Which one?" Stone asked. 

"The glass humanoid form." Robotnik replied.

"Ah, I found it." Stone stood in front of a tube that had a see through suit wrapped around a manipulation. "Looks very small."

"It's for Maria--supposed to be her birthday present but Shadow is a lifetime commitment."

"Speaking of shadow, doctor." Stone replied. "Professor Robotnik and Maria love him."

"It's a bubble suit capable of synthesizing sensations such as snow with sensitive sensors."

"So armor?"

Robotnik went over the comment as his mind went over the intricate process of designing and creating it. Even going on to creating the entire new sensitive computer system that was classified to the point it couldn't be patented and used for slightly more ill and less intelligent purposes.

"Armor? AAAARMOOR? You're too stupid for your little own good." Robotnik said. "Put on sandals."

"Yes, sir."

"I don't think you and your small brain could understand why I cannot allow her to bring it back to her ship."

In fact, Stone understood.

"I was saving it up for Christmas for her." Robotnik continued on as he mentally admired his intelligence and effort on the invention. "She can't necessarily return with it into space."

"A one time use." Stone said. "That is quite bitter for her."

"She doesn't belong to Earth," Robotnik said. "It is just a marble to her where she was born on. Frankly, being unable to experience the worst parts of it is a relief as a child her age."

Robotnik was quiet over the line in the next moment as he reflected over the sad chain of events that separated Maria from the rest of the family and into space within a craft invented by his grandfather only a handful of years ago. It was bitter. Robotnik had seen only photographs and of her on the video screen not face to face. This Christmas was supposed to be different and just like that; his own determination dashed all that _then_ made all up for it.

"Only getting to be on Earth twice in her lifetime; once as a baby and the second time as a little girl." Stone added.

"So I adjusted the transportation system to transport her body out of it back to the station. It's a brilliant contraption that I can recycle for a emergency medical bed for any children who I am forced to be around for mission related purposes." Robotnik said. "That's just the size and height it can fit for. And when they do release me; I like a latte waiting for me."

"Yes, sir." Stone said.

"Buh-bye, Agent Stone." Robotnik said.

The phone call ended but in the lair, Stone was fondly smiling while looking down on the iphone. 

"I missed hearing you, doctor." Stone said.


	7. Status report

"Commander Walters, how good of you to call." Stone answered. 

"When is he going to be ready to help the resistance?" Walters asked. 

What was left of the silver gray hair along his white hair was completely gone replaced by pure white, wrinkles, and tired eyes. His once neat and tidy short hair had grown longer but his uniform was in perfect condition compared to him. And there were cables that were sparking above his head with a crackle. A red light was beeping on and off against the darkness of where he was.

"He should be ready in a few weeks, sir." Stone replied. 

"Few weeks?" Walters repeated.

"Yes, sir." Stone nodded. 

"We have been hiding and evading from the Russians in the Bermuda Triangle for weeks now. I don't know if we can continue that for much longer." Walters said. The commander grimaced at what had been happening before. "If we had that blue hedgehog, as he claimed it was in his report, then things might be going in our favor."

"You can continue for another solid month, sir." Stone replied. "Or, Sonic might just be working under the president's order if he came to the government's side." The commander stared back at the agent. "He is a child." The Commander's face faltered. "He listens to authority figures and tries not to go against the law. He isn't very much interested in world affairs."

"Just one month?" Walters squeaked. 

"And one week." Stone nodded, gravely. 

"He is _still_ on the speeding bullet." Walters said.

"Yes, sir."

"And you are helping him?"

"Doing the best that I can do under the circumstance." Stone's hands were on his hips that were faintly outlined by the black and red women's speedo. "What he intends to do after opening him up, I am not allowed to say on this private connection." Stone linked his hands behind his back then shrugged before finishing with, "If it is being recorded."

The screen became full of static then returned.

"It's not, Agent Stone." Walters's face grew grim. "I heard rumors that the CIA asked him to take out a Russian asset before the alien's arrival." The commander lifted a brow back up at the agent. "Is it true?"

"It is. " Stone confirmed. "I need the list of government people who put their heads in the ground regarding the virus measurements in the US."

"I know . . ." Walters rubbed along his fist looking down. "many of those people."

"Are they part of the resistance?" Stone asked.

Walters smiled then shook his head.

"They're not." Walters said. "But, they used to be my friends." He lifted his attention up. "I am ready to say their names."

"One moment."

Stone turned on his burner iphone then proceeded to write down the names as the Commander relayed the names once the agent looked up and gave the nod. The commander went about on and on and on until there were no more names to write down. Walters rolled down his sleeves then sipped from a plastic cup. Stone pressed 'send' then looked up toward the man who leaned back in the chair that he was seated.

"Of all the mad squints we need; Doctor Robotnik is the most readily available." Walters said. "Will he make them suffer for their role in the tragedy?"

"Doctor Robotnik will use technology to do that." Stone replied. 

"That is a vague answer." Walters said.

"It won't be pretty, Commander." Stone said. "Just as it is cleaning up many messes that you need erased."

The commander sipped from his cup carefully lowered it to the table and clasped his hands together underneath his chin and sighed.

"I need to know their status." Walters said. "The status that he intends to leave them in."

"He sounded a little angry over the denial issue." Stone said. "So I can say alive but traumatized and/ _or_ harmed." 

"Suffering until their dying day." Walters said. "Best case scenario."

"Yes, sir."

"Agent Stone, when he comes around to doing what the CIA wants. . ." Walters said. "I need you to tell me when he starts on it."

"I will see what I can do." Stone said. "The gadget that he had designed earlier seems to be a quick one from what I saw."

"How much of a quick one?" Walters became concerned. 

"It would take a week for him to assemble it." Stone replied. 

"A week of assembly." Walters mused. "A simple week before America becomes truly great again." Stone winced as Walters chuckled at the irony then sprouted a small smile. "I want to be there when it happens."

Stone nodded along to what the man was requesting.

"I will keep my eye out." Stone said.

"In the mean time, we are still using the emergency defense eggbots that he built for the navy ships in case of emergency that we don't have enough pilots to protect our fleet." Walters said. "They are proving to be good use for us."

"Did you just start using them?" Stone asked. "I have heard rumors from my colleagues that the fighting is bad at Cuba for the secondary base."

"Much earlier." Walters said, grimly. "We ran out of missiles and rockets." Then the man started to laugh, the side of his face cupped, as his figure shook. "The funny thing is we are bringing life back into Cuba's economy with our money so they have been in better standing in getting new cars."

Walters cleared his throat then looked on toward Stone.

"Your employer," Walters said. "Is our only hope, Agent Stone."

"That is painfully apparent to me." Stone said. "Mine, too."

"He better not blow it in their custody." Walters said. "If Doctor Robotnik does; the president is going to drone strike you and him down."

"Commander," Stone replied. "Doctor Robotnik is not himself. If the doctor does blow it, they won't believe him, because he thinks I am there with him in the same room."

"How do you know?" Walters asked.

"Before you called, got a call from a friend of mine claiming that he is talking to me in his room." Stone replied. "But, there is no technology in which I can communicate with him. He destroyed the flip phone yesterday in a fit of rage after I _did_ speak to him."

And Walters smiled, hopeful, looking better than he had in the last two months.

"Agent Stone, whatever you are going to do, I won't tell but I will make sure you get a pay raise for saving America."

"You are the commander of the armed forces." Stone said. "I am not part of that."

Walters had a small short laugh shaking his head. 

"Once this is over, I will sweet talk a friend of mine into doing that." Walters said. "America owes you and Doctor Robotnik. . ." he fell grim and dark. " _if_ this operation is successful."

Walters turned away then gave the 'kill it' sign and the communication was over. 


	8. It's going to be okay

As such with a burner phone, Stone set up the chain of events that would lead into the smooth and cool transition of the main contents of the plan. The date and time were set up while the props were being constructed over the month regarding the plan that was built over how well Stone knew how well Robotnik would be and what he would do to get the creature.

A fairly simplistic plan that would save if not millions of lives, cities, a man's psyche, and his own heart from watching the love of his life be thrown to his death chasing after the hedgehog. A demise which made regular threats that threatened national security a small apple pie in a way that was friendly, acceptable, reasonable, and well rounded compared to how being killed by actual alien(s). The alien hedgehog was a alien pie that stunk with tentacles waving about spinning in a circle and Robotnik was the consumer stabbing at the tentacles with his knife trying to cut off pieces as a time.

His determination would get him killed, Stone accepted long ago.

His determination would drive him down over the edge of eccentric sanity to crazed madness, Stone accepted.

That same madness leading to his demise spinning after the impossible to reach.

However, this was something Stone could take care of for the doctor. 

And provide a ramp in which could provide a means out.

* * *

Today was the day.

Stone typed quickly on to the chat box. He waited for five minutes, patiently, then watched as the 'read' notification appeared then a thumbs up was texted back. After several minutes of cleaning the burner phone, he put it back into the box, moved it back inside one of the cupboards, Stone opened the door to the cold with sandals on then walked on and closed the door behind him as he exited the apartment meeting the cold and bitter air that welcomed him in. 

_It's going to be okay._

* * *

Robotnik exited the facility in new clothing that had been specified to his measurements and size; a task done by his little badniks after being retrieved by Stone a day after the quarantine was ended. He breathed in cold air then exhaled warm, determined, his hands on his lips donned by in black with the secondary red theme as a background color being subtle.

"Oh. Hello, Agent Stone! That women's speedo makes your bundle of straw figure stand out. Have you been eating?"

"I have been eating."

"How come I don't believe you?"

He saw the agent waiting for him as snow continued to fall around him and the agent was smiling -- stupid, goofy, admiring -- that made him appear angelic against the gray backdrop. It was a bit of a unusual comment to come from the older man as the smile turned into a grin then approached him with the latte holder.

"Good morning, doctor." Stone handed the latte to the older man. "It is probably because you seek for the worst in people."

Stone took out the small long and black container then slipped it open.

"My glasses!" Robotnik carefully took out the glasses with his free hand. "I mean, my glasses. My style is completed."

"They have been waiting for you." Stone said. "All this time. I bought extras in the event that your chase is just as destructive as the last one."

Robotnik put them on to his face then smiled.

"The doctor is back in town." Robotnik said. "Is that the correct phrase, Agent Stone?"

"No, sir." Stone replied.

"Then what is it?" Robotnik frowned.

"The doctor is in." Stone said.

"Mine is cooler." Robotnik said as he took the black container out of the assistant's hand then opened the passenger door and hopped in then sipped from the latte.

"Your announcement is better." Stone agreed as he walked around the SUV and into the driver seat. "Has a good vibe to it."

"What kind of vibe?" Robotnik asked as the man slipped in alongside him.

Stone looked toward the doctor as they were divided by a long arm rest between them.

"The best kind of vibe." Stone closed the door with a slam then shifted toward Robotnik. "Evil."

Robotnik turned toward the agent then took another sip from the latte.

"I missed this." Robotnik said as Stone kept his eye on the screen that showed little to no one in the blind spots of the SUV. "I missed having latte in a place with windows and being unexposed to the harsh weather of the planet."

"Me too, Doctor." Stone said. "Can't beat being in a place that does the transport for you."

"Despite the edible mushrooms, as you recall, they had little to be desired for when it regarded a vehicle." Robotnik replied. "Remember that red little hedgehog?" He shuddered shaking his head as the SUV drove on.

"Very well." Stone said. "It was weird to see it walking around."

"Bothersome little annoyance." Robotnik said. "Mocking me for daring to turn a makeshift motorcar out of mushroom parts? I showed him!"

"You did, Doctor." Stone said. "Showed him who was the most intelligent of all on the planet."

"He said it wasn't possible!" Robotnik threw a hand up then took another sip and mumbled. "Sore loss for him."

"A very bitter loss that he pushed you away as a equal." Stone replied.

"Could have found the craft that got me here earlier if we teamed up and told me about the natural abandoned spacecrafts that he had became familiar to." Robotnik said. "But no, the little idiot just stared at me."

"And you stared back at him with a middle finger as you drove on."

"I made it possible!" Robotnik nodded, rapidly. "He deserved it."

"Yes, sir." Stone said.

"Remember how stunned he was watching us wheel on in our monster mushroom truck?"

Stone looked toward Robotnik then smiled.

"I can't forget." Stone said earning the gleeful grin from the doctor.

"That long gullible stare." Robotnik turned his attention off then shook his head. "What a moron. Didn't even bother chasing after me after I showed him off."

"Doctor, if I were him, I would find it hard to apologize to a ego like that."

"I would, too." Robotnik admitted. "When the ego is well deserved." He sipped further from the latte. "I could have improved his housing. Could have made a alliance with him against the other Echnida's. They had no idea what they were thinking trying to kill me!"

"A genius! Savior!" Robotnik swung his cup up. "A man capable of immortality by handing his genius on to them by teaching them about technology in using the environment to their advantage." He lowered the cup down then shook his head, grimacing, bothered by the past and unhappy about it. "Thought I was a crazy ball of madness."

"You do come off that way to the people on Earth." Stone said. "So even if a human translated for you to a aliens who don't understand some context of what I am referring to, they wouldn't get me either."

"They didn't get you and that was the tragic part." Robotnik said. 

"Very." Stone agreed with a nod.

"Remember how you knocked them out as part of my plan?" Stone looked toward Robotnik then nodded. "Tying you up and swinging you forward with a bunch of other rocks tied to you and swung back to me?"

"Those bruises were hard to get rid of," Stone said.

"Got them down long enough to make our escape," Robotnik said. "A miracle that I got you back in one piece." Robotnik sighed, briefly lowering the cup, after taking another sup from the latte. "I thought I lost you in the middle of chaos for a few minutes there waiting for you to come back out of the plan. . ."

Robotnik rubbed along the cup as he became silent appearing small and vulnerable to the younger man -- a helpless older man with his guard down--- lowering his head. Stone turned his attention upon him between looking off the road then his features softened as he listened to what else the fifty-eight year old had to say. 

"I thought I lost you for good. I was wrong about that; I never admitted that back there." he raised his head up. "Your presence is more beneficiary than I thought that it was."

"Yours, too." Stone said, softly.

Robotnik groaned then rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead.

"Right when I thought you were intelligent and not a nameless agent." Robotnik said then glared toward the younger man beside him. "You were gone for five minutes taking care of the Echnida's, Agent Stone." he fluttered his fingers then grasped it along the cup and took a sip from the cup. "Not a full month."

Suddenly, sirens wailed after them then Stone parked to the side. Stone parked alongside the road then waited for the officer to arrive. He waited as his fingers strummed along the steering wheel as the latte was being finished. Stone looked down at the side compartment then found a spare instant ramen. He placed the instant ramen into the heat controller device then dipped some water into it and waited for the ramen to cook.

"Did they give you breakfast?" Stone asked.

"No." Robotnik shook his head. 

"Then have this." Stone took out a fork from the side compartment and a small brown napkin once the older man put the latte cup on to the cup holder. "Wait for three minutes for it to be ready."

"Three minutes isn't instant." Robotnik said. 

"The heat does the trick so it is, Doctor." Stone replied as he moved his hands on to the steering wheel.

A officer in heavily dressed thick gear wearing a gas mask appeared.

"Are you gentlemen going to the rally?"

Robotnik's eyebrows started to twitch.

"No, sir."

"You are dressed funny." The officer said. "Just wanted to see if you were. . um. . ." he looked toward passenger then toward Stone. "Okay."

"His orders." Stone replied with a smile then gestured toward Robotnik. "This is Doctor Robotnik; my employer."

"Ah, I see." The officer said. "So, late Halloween party that he is holding?"

"Yes, sir." Stone nodded.

The officer jotted down on a notepad then looked up toward Stone. 

"You were going under the speed limit." the officer handed Stone a ticket. "You should be going at the speed limit."

"I will do better, sir."

The officer looked at Robotnik funny. 

"Be best. Just like the First Lady. Just like our great leader." 

The officer walked off as a foul taste lingered in Robotnik's mouth as Stone returned to the road and it was unnervingly _silent_ for the next few moments in the car. 

"Is there a botnik in the SUV?" And boom, Robotnik was already coming out of the moment and the madness that he had fallen into months ago as a coping mechanism.

"As a safety precaution, that I have."

"Give me your phone, Agent Stone." Stone complied handing the regular phone to the older man who tapped on the screen quickly and grew a wide grin as the bright blue light clashed against his face. 

"This isn't in my line of being assistant, but, what are you going to do?"

"I am going to give him the Coronavirus. That man is a deplorable. He pulled you over because---" he twirled his hand toward Stone. "You're you and I won't accept someone just doing that to you." He finished the last commands then slid down the button and the small bot flew on out the window. Robotnik looked toward the younger man. "How many times has this happened that you haven't told me of?"

"Not often." Stone replied.

Robotnik glared back at Stone.

"Agent Aban Lee Stone!" Robotnik's glare was hard and sharp. It was as if he were being called out by his mother in the most sharpest but demeaning tones best suited for a embarrassing moment. This was otherwise a feeling that Stone was enjoying. "You are a agent of the law and obligated to tell the truth in my employment."

"It hasn't really happened often." Stone admitted.

"Driving at night after your assisting and doing your nightly jogs?" Robotnik asked, in disbelief.

"It hasn't happened since you left." Stone said.

"How many times before." Robotnik was staring him down. 

Stone looked toward the stare of intent; the stare of business, the stare of 'you're going to tell me', _the_ stare that he hadn't seen in a long time.

"I don't keep track or keep grudges, Doctor. It's a waste of my time and energy."

"Alright." Robotnik said. "My little lovely has come back with a result." Robotnik looked on toward the botnik that was flying back toward him as he tapped his fingers on to the phone with his back pressed against the seat. "Time to do some brilliant programming manipulation!"

"Are you doing that all on my phone?" Stone asked.

"Why yes, Agent Stone." Robotnik looked toward Stone with a smug smirk. "I am."

Smoothly, Robotnik completed the manipulation of the deep fake audio and report for the police cruiser. The botnik returned back to the car then the window was pressed back up. Robotnik picked up the mug of instant ramen then slid the lid off completely then twirled it with his spoon and sniffed it. Robotnik slumped in the chair once setting the phone on to the arm rest that divided them and Stone put it away.

"I have **MISSED** pasta the most of by all the stupid idiots on this hell world!" Robotnik declared.

Stone shook his head with a smile then resumed driving on.


	9. A plan in motion that cannot be stopped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan starts to roll into motion perfectly as Agent Stone had designed it to be,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out longer than I anticipated and was supposed to be about the plan in motion mainly about Sonic's capture and the switch with the prop and Sonic. 
> 
> Oh well. 
> 
> This was better, emotionally, I hope I gave you feels or conveyed you the feels that everyone is feeling!

It was a matter of a few hours of returning to the lab. Robotnik strut into the lab that then powered up around him with each step that he took forward. Stone stared in awe as he watched the floor paneling was the first to become highlighted in white then the beams on each level beamed on. Robotnik vanished further into the mechanical half of the bay then typed into the holographic screen floating protruding out of a black screen with several press of his buttons.

"Agent Stone, I like you to deliver a message to Commander Walters regarding the mission."

"What would you like me to tell him?"

"That blasted blue rat will never be the cause of EMPs."

"Yes, sir."

"I will get back to you in the next twenty-four hours. "

"Anything else, sir?"

"Tell him that he is a very classified moron for not going after the rat and retrieving me and you earlier. I hated every moment of it."

"It didn't fascinate you?"

"Fascinating," he turned toward Stone said then smiled, shallowly. "At first. How didn't it not become boring to you?"

"Everything is really beautiful in space." Stone replied. "It's best to admire the ugly for the beauty that it has."

"Agent Stone, you are clearly in the minority." The badniks followed the movement of his hands retrieving the equipment with several motions of his hand then seated down into the chair. "Now, be gone."

He put on a welding helmet, gloves, and several chocolate kisses were set on the counter alongside him.

"Daddy has some work to do."

Stone turned on his heel then walked away with a grin.

* * *

Commander Walters wept. It was the weeping that was out of relief, not of despair, not of dismay, but it was the special kind of one in which meant the end was coming for a dark era that he had watched come and stay. A era that broke his heart leaving the view of America's large port for what felt to be the last time. He wept once the communication with the agent was over and he felt so light and free letting go of all the ugly feelings.

Feelings that left him in a pit of despair, bitterness, and hopelessness--but now, there was hope. There was a way out of the cavern back to normalcy. All it took was the maddest and most disliked man in the globe who wanted him gone but more than ever _needed_ him. The irony was palpable.

The very man who hated humans -- being a human himself--and treated others so distastefully could be the key to defeating what many of the resistance called the most senile anti-christ. The world could erupt into World War 3 any day and destroy civilization that was trying to survive against his greed, his power, and desire of control. If he didn't win then no one else could. He checked twitter hours ago and the president was calling a peaceful protest _treason_.

That kind of activity wasn't going to last.

So, Walters wept -- wept in the secret communication room with the captain alongside him putting a hand on his shoulder then lightly pat on it -- for a miracle that he hadn't seen coming.

A unspoken sentiment lingered in the air around him with the senior staff of the resistance around him.

They should have argued and pressured for the return of the doctor if they had _known_ he cared so much about the institution of America.

* * *

"It has been eight hours since the doctor has came out of quarentine." Maddie said. "He could be very busy as Stone said."

"I like to keep a eye out on Sonic in the mean time." Tom replied.

Tom's eyes were trained on Sonic as the hedgehog was playing with Ozzie; the hedgehog was going slow. Slow as in the speed that the dog went. Slow as in going the speed a human child would go. With the opportunity open, Ozzie crashed upon the hedgehog then proceeded to lick around the alien's face. Sonic laughed as he was pinned down by the golden retriever's paws. A ding erupted from the phone.

Maddie was the first to pick up the phone then swipe it on the screen.

"What does it say?" Tom asked.

"Doctor Robotnik will be in Green Hills on Saturday at nine thirty-three AM." Maddie said.

Sonic bolted toward them.

"What about the doctor?"

"Sonic," Tom leaned forward. "Remember the plan?"

"I can't forget the plan." Sonic said. "It's kind of tattoo-ed under my glove."

"Is it permanent?"

"I haven't really washed it in a month so---"

Maddie took off the glove then peered at it.

"Sonic, get inside." Maddie dragged him back inside of the house and Ozzie followed. "I am going to scrub that tattoo off your hand or God so help me!"

"But mooooom, I can do that---" Sonic cut himself off. "Oh, um, mom. . . Tom told me that permanent marker would do to keep it there."

"Tom, you are in so much trouble!" Maddie's voice echoed out of the house.

Tom whistled playing with his thumbs as Maddie forcibly cleaned the hedgehog's hand for several minutes at a time. It turned into hours as Tom waited for them watching the snow fall landing to the lumps of snow that decorated the landscape, the tree branches, and the sky trenched with gray. Warmly bundled up, Tom was able to admire the view. Maddie returned with a scowl. Her scowl turned into a glare upon Tom. Sonic wore mitts instead of gloves that kept his hands warm then looked up with his ears lowered, sheepishly, toward the older man who was staring down at him.

"I told you not to get your first tattoo to be mine, Sonic." Tom said. "Why did you do that?"

"The firefighter tattoo was the best!" Sonic said. "You said so yourself."

Tom smiled, light hearted.

"I got that when I was eighteen before things changed my mind on being a firefighter." Tom revealed. "Certain things."

"It was your first dream, Tom. How could I not?" Sonic said. "You and Maddie are my dream." he took their hands at once. "I want to remember that my dream came true forever."

Tom was the first to start tearing up then Maddie clasped her other hand on to Sonic's mitts. 

Then so did Tom. 

"Sonic, have you participated in the dress rehearsals and got your part down pat?" Tom asked.

"Go fast, but not too fast, and make it easy for him to capture me." Sonic said. "I got it." Sonic brought them into a hug that was returned by the couple. "I am not going to lose my dream so soon." Then Sonic added with assurance. "I won't let it."

"Neither will we." Tom said.

"You're grounded tonight." Maddie said. 

"Maddie--" Tom started to say.

"He has it handled." Maddie said. "He can take one night of being grounded before acting."

"And all the nights that come after it." Sonic said.

Tom smiled, tearfully, frightened but uncertain as Maddie (her confidence was a mask for her uncertainty) as they remained in a group hug for the longest time and reassured the other in that it was going to be okay. For all intents and purposes, it was going to be, with certain actions being taken to ensure their continued existence as a family. And Ozzie joined in the hug, standing on his hind legs, one paw on Sonic's shoulder and the other on Maddie's shoulder then barked. 

The family laughed and all was well. 


	10. Being well

Even after Stone had been ordered to leave, Robotnik could sense his presence from the background. Robotnik worked hours into the night going on spite and determination with little fuel necessary. It was only when he was nudged by the fist belonging to the agent did he roll his eyes and lift up the wielding helmet.

It wasn't the agent in reality. In reality, it was one of his eggbots holding a platter with one of the installed long claws that curled underneath the figure with a retractable plate that held the platter. In the doctor's mind: the eggbot was the agent.

"Doctor, you should eat."

"Are you going to stand there like a fool all day if I don't eat?"

"That I will do." The hallucination replied over the eye rolling of the doctor. "You require nutrition and fluids."

Robotnik rolled his eyes.

"Fine then." Robotnik said taking the platter.

"You are human after all."

"A failing that I will rectify once I have accomplished my primary mission."

"Some people see it as the perks of living of having a time limit of being able to do tasks."

"And you do?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why? Because you enjoy being able to live for so little?"

"No, Doctor."

"Then why?"

"I see it as a time limit of how much I can enjoy this life through the suffering, the miseries, the humiliation, it is something that I won't give away lightly or trade for what you want." Stone took the silver platter away then Robotnik began to eat off the tray with his sleeves rolled back to his elbow and his napkin laid on his lap. "It wouldn't be the same with everything you do coming from a machine."

Robotnik looked up toward the hallucination of the agent.

"It'll lose the endearing parts, it'll lose your flaws, effective, immortal; yes." The hallucination proceeded to pause for a short moment turning his gaze upon the older man. "But, the trade off is losing your _soul_ in the process. The part that I love the most of you."

"Ppph, losing my soul!" Robotnik waved a hand in the air with a grunt. "What do you think I care about my soul? I don't give a damn about it." He took a sip from the glass of water then placed it back on to the tray. "I wish I didn't have a soul like the rest of you."

"You don't mean that." The hallucination replied.

"It's better to be a AI than to be a fleshy being, Agent Stone." Robotnik twirled away from the hallucination. "You don't know me the way that you think do."

"I do, Doctor." Was the last words from the hallucination.

Robotnik proceeded to eat as he admired his project that was nearing completion musing over the train of thought that the agent sent him on. A fine coat of paint and a little more welding, manipulating fiber optic cords, circuits, and pieces of glass, then he was all set to go. It was larger than the one that he had left Earth with. It was a sheer impressive mobile flying version of his lair. It was admirable in every way possible.

Something that was deemed impossible by his peers to make such a large craft and keep it together with a large enough power system to keep it operating; yet again, they were proven wrong. With his meal finished and the cup of water put aside once he had half finished it with a sour mood, he dismissed the agent -- truly, the eggbot--then resumed to work putting the protective gear back on properly.

With time and patience, the machine was fully prepared. Robotnik peeled off the protective gear chucking it to the side and grinned at the prospect that stood before him. He looked at the machine in pride, the same way a father would react, when it regarded a loved one doing something for him. He pressed a button then watched as the interior of the craft lit up to life with the emergency stash of operation consoles in the cockpit seat brimming with light and the screens making the interior of the dark inside of the ship brightening up in blue.

'"Now, the invention is ready to do what it was built to do!" Robotnik stared in awe and glee at the completed product.

"The machine looks quite great, Doctor." Stone, real and breathing, joined his side handing out the latte.

Robotnik took the latte.

"I was wondering when you were going to get me that." Robotnik sipped from it.

Stone smiled as the older man proceeded to head upstairs then his demeanor turned hopeful.

The eggbot floated alongside the agent and chirped worriedly as the man vanished up the stairs. 

"I am confident that he will be himself after this exercise, Eggy." Stone said.

The eggbot beeped then floated up as the red optic shined brightly and they waited for Doctor Robotnik to return.

Robotnik returned down the stairs donning new googles in a red and yellow navy uniform with black trousers and knee reaching tall boots.

"Time for round three!" Robotnik announced. "Agent Stone, you can man the retrieval unit on the secondary deck below the bridge."

Stone observed the lower deck, small, cozy, with long claws that extended out of a pill shaped glass container.

"Eggy, you can protect the lair." Robotnik pointed toward the white egg shaped machine.

Eggy beeped then Robotnik went toward the ship and Stone smiled as he followed him in.


	11. Mission accomplished

The travel to Green Hills was quick as Stone watched the surroundings below him change. The agent checked the coordinated plan that was written in stone from the back of his head. Stone sipped from his latte then looked out the dark brown shades of the window that let in little of the rays of the light from the snow. The light around them was shining off against the snow that seemed to glitter, sparkle, shining brightly quite cold and bitter environment headed on toward a certain destination in mind.

It was quite the trip to Green Hills following a new path as laid out by the GPS. Not much had changed with Doctor Robotnik's absence on the planet. He smiled to himself, observing a crowd of people and snowmen with Sonic wedged in between a group of children struggling to make a snowman look just like him. Robotnik aimed and fired at the target. Then the target was running out of the blast range of the large machine. 

Robotnik flew after the hedgehog paying little attention to the report from the console regarding the rate of speed that his invention was going. Cars flipped over landing on to their roof on the ground and chunks of the road was shaved off as the ground beneath him.

"Nah nah nah!" Sonic stood on the roof of a building and wiggled his butt at Robotnik with his thumbs in his ears. "You can't catch me!"

"The ultimate insult!" Robotnik said.

"What are you going to do, old man?" Sonic asked. "Lose to a hedgehog?

"I am going to win against a alien hedgehog," Robotnik said. "You, on the other hand, that is a entirely different issue."

"Oh no, what should I do?" Sonic asked, mockingly, condescendingly, drooping against a window. "I know what!" he snapped his fingers as he leaned a hand against the window frame. "Run away!"

Robotnik saw only rage -- the most akin description was witnessing a volcano erupt from the distance being safe and sound as a time lapse -- as he smacked his fist against a big red button with the text in white below it that read 'EMERGENCY USE ONLY'. Abruptly, a large and colorful blue blast from the advanced flight craft struck the building, throwing brick, wood, and metal flying crashing around the town's limts. And the sonic boom sent Robotnik's craft twirling away.

"Wrong button!" Robotnik shrieked.

"Doctor, what did you put in that thing? Was that a nuclear bomb?"

"That a electromagnetic pulse generator being kept running by his own quill!"

"Craft is readjusted, Doctor."

"Back to the matter at hand---" Robotnik returned over the remains of the building that was scattered all over the place. "There it is!" The machine loomed over the figure. "Right where I want him!"

"Heart rate is over the roof." Stone said. "Doctor, it would be wise not to attempt out extraction so early into the chase."

"That little rat is not a possum." Robotnik said.

"I say that because of the extraordinary power that he displayed last year the last time that he were in danger." Stone reminded as Robotnik looked aside, grimacing, at the chain of events that lead to the exile. "And that was all it took to make sure that we were lost in space. Could have died on that mushroom planet if we hadn't found that crashed craft."

"Agent Stone, poke the little rat."

"Yes, sir."

Stone grasped on to a handle then manipulated the machine to pick up a fallen street pole then poked at Sonic. In a little less of five minutes, Sonic was back up on his feet sending the craft flying back into the center of the street and readjusted itself then proceed to chase after the preteen. The preteen laughed running ahead of the duo.

Robotnik grinned looking down toward his console and pressed a button. A large pole was ripped out of the ground then smacked against sonic and he hit the side of a wall. Stone checked the medical system as Robotnik loomed over the fallen alien with intrigue.

"Is he out?" Robotnik asked.

Stone poked at the fallen alien.

"He is out like a baby, Doctor." Stone replied.

"I knew that would work." Robnik smirked as he looked upon Sonic. "Put him into the container, Agent Stone."

"Yes, sir." Stone said.

"This is a very good day for me!" Robotnik announced as Stone used the long robotic arms to grab on to Sonic's frame then placed him carefully into the transparent cylinder. "I knew I would catch it on my second try!"

the older man leaned against the back rest of the chair and slid his hands behind his best gleefully with a relieved sigh.

"I knew it, Agent Stone!" and the door to the pill shaped container closed. "I knew it!"

"This time you planned." Stone said. "And knew what you were chasing this time." Stone scanned the town, passively, only noting the destruction of one building. It wasn't a dozen so buildings that the Government had to pay for the repairs of. The plan had gone _exactly_ how Stone had foreseen in his mind and described to the Wachowski's over text. "At least he didn't have those rings on him and stir up severe international trouble."

Robotnik leaned forward after absorbing the commemorative moment and began to man the console completely composed.

"Let's go home." Robotnik replied.

And the craft took off for the lair leaving Green Hills behind.


	12. Sonic the hedgehog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robotnik learns a little more of Stone and so does Sonic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to foreverrmore to the point I didn't press replay and oh boy; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViuY8_tmTgA listen to this song while you read the chapter. Forevermore --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27CiluwCRNo

The trip back was quiet back to the lair. Stone checked the news regarding the Coronavirus; there was another conference and the economy was tanking even further than before with the new wave of illness that was sweeping the world. The economy had clawed itself out of a recession over a period of two months and now it was falling with certain shelter in place orders being reinstated by the states.

The president, as usual, was praising himself and lying before the people regarding what was going on and talked badly of the protestors at Times Squares standing around six feet from each other holding up signs, wearing masks, wielding shields and chanting 'Resist! RESIST! Resist! RESIST!'. The whole affair of protesting had started up shortly after the election that had been manipulated by Russia as clear as day. He shifted his mind of that.

The door to the lair opened and the craft lowered down in the hangar bay then the landing gear came down. The cockpit window to the lower cockpit slid open then a bad stench became familiar to him as he watched the older man pass on by with a whistle.

"I am taking a shower." Robotnik said. "Stone, make sure the drones kill the hedgehog once he is on the table."

"Yes, sir." Stone replied.

"It's good to be better than everyone!" Robotnik twirled on the spiral staircase then faced the agent, placing his hands on the railing, smiling. "Isn't it?"

"Your problem solving is the most admirable that could come for a very eccentric smart man." Stone replied. "Some eccentric men turn out to be serial killers."

"Agent Stone, have you met serial killers?" Robotnik asked.

"I hunted them down for a living on my spare time with the help of the internet---"

"What the ever loving hell, Aban." Robotnik turned toward Stone in alarm with a tilt of his head, shocked. "Chastising me about treating people like animals and you hunted people on the clock that way." The doctor put his hand on his hips. "That is rich."

"No, sir." Stone denied.

"You did it off the clock?" Robotnik raised his brows.

"Yes, sir." Stone nodded.

"How did you do that?" Robot lowered his brows, interested.

"Simple, I pushed too many buttons until I was given mandatory leave. I was given a two year paid leave to clear my head after the events of the two towers falling." Stone explained. "I was considered the best member of the secret service and they were willing for me to get it out, no questions asked, after I lost my friend in the attack. And hunting serial killers was the best way of coping with my rage."

"Did it do good?"

"Yes, sir.

"When you got them down, what did you do?"

"I wasn't exactly myself."

"Stone, you have become interesting to me. You are a man of many surface and points, you are overestimated, sometimes foolish, and annoying," Robotnik approached the younger man with his hands linked behind his back then walked to the younger man's back. "But, the kind that is the best kind of person to have around."

Stone smiled, simping, proudly.

"I got them on tape confessing to their crimes then I brought the families of the people that had lost family to them and exited the room after letting them in." Stone went on to explain regarding his activities. "Some days, I can't get the memory of telling them that they could bring them to justice by their hands out of my head." The older man hummed then came around to standing in front of him proceeding to smirk. "The sorrow, the happiness, the grief. . . It's all so beautiful."

"You became a serial killer." Robotnik said.

"Yes, sir." Stone confirmed.

"What was your choice of trophies?" Robotnik asked.

"I collected justice." Stone replied. "Sometimes, those serial killers were turned in. Most of the time; Never heard of them or the many families again."

Robotnik rubbed his chin looking aside as he walked on thinking it over then shrugged.

"Did you feel better after righting wrongs?" Robotnik asked.

"Yes, sir." Stone said. 

Robotnik turned toward the younger man.

"Why?"

"Personal reason, sir." Stone said.

"Hmm, no wonder they assigned you to me." Robotnik replied as he went up the stairs then vanished out of Stone's field of vision. "You're rogue as I am."

"Yes, Doctor." Stone said. "That I am."

Stone typed on the main console and inputted the loop with the time that it had to last. The agent went out of the main lair then slipped open the carriage of the container wearing garden gloves. Sonic was groaning as he rubbed the back of his head then Stone handed him a ice bag and a apple watch. The alien was set on to the chair alongside the table as he was beginning to come to. Stone carefully lifted the prop on to the operation table from a gray box and the box was removed by a more modern drone that didn't resemble one of the badniks. 

"Ow," Sonic complained. "That hurts." Sonic glared toward Stone. "You said that he would use my quill's EMP a second time instead of his stunt."

"Mr Wachowski and Mrs Wachowski would never have agreed to this operation had I told them." Stone said as Sonic wrapped the watch around his wrist. "You should be able to get home with that machine. It's designed to follow at any speed someone is going."

Sonic nodded then looked up toward the man who was knelt down to his level.

"Is this Eggman's?" Sonic asked.

"No. It was for me." Stone said. "It's a left over piece of his patent spree from a few years ago." Then Stone fondly laughed, shaking his head, smiling back at the memory that crossed his mind. "Had to do with the MIT Cheetah sized droids with four legs and a camera for a head."

"You mean [Spot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlkCQXHEgjA)." Sonic said.

"Yes---" Stone stared at Sonic. "How do you know?"

"Boston Dynamics came around Green Hills six years ago." Sonic said.

Sonic grimaced, shaking his head, as Stone stared in awe at the preteen.

"What was the prototype like?" Stone asked.

"They were very noisy and weren't too cool to race against." The hedgehog smiled back fondly. "However, they were pretty cool." Then his eyebrow ridges hunched together. "How could you lose track of a Spot that was going slow as a turtle?"

"It was the government's version." Stone replied. "A disgruntled Federal Government employee got their hands on a bioweapon, put it into several gas cans, rigged the machine to release said gas, then proceeded to go on spree undetected."

Sonic's ears lowered at the tale that was relayed to him and his face faltered.

"Killed hundreds of people this way and the government had to the fastest cover up spree I had ever seen them do."

Stone laughed as he sat down in to the nearest chair, nostalgically, continuing the tale with fondness.

"I kept refreshing the search results on youtube and twitter for a _long_ time to keep track of Big Spot's path while watching Doctor Robotnik quickly inventing something new to catch up with it."

Stone snickered then sipped from his bottle of water that had been left on the counter prior to leaving with the doctor. He lowered the cup then put it back down to the table. He turned to face the preteen who was staring at him with a long face that didn't quite belong.

"A bunch of nuclear waste refined crystals were the source of Big Spot's fuel and it was quite tricky throwing the nanobots on to it to finally knock down Big Spot."

"How did he do that?"

"I did that part, actually."

"How did you do it?"

"I stole his very tiny botnik nanobots and moved when his attention wasn't on me."

"Did he notice?"

"He did not." Stone smiled with a shake of his head.

"What happened?"

"Right when Big Spot was about to kill him; I crashed on to it and dropped the nanobots on to the head of Big Spot then---"

"What happened?" Sonic asked.

Stone shrugged, taking another sip from the cup.

"That is the last I recall asides to waking up in the hospital in quarantine wrapped in bandages and recovering from heavy radiation poisoning."

"Humans can't survive a extreme heavy dose of radiation."

Stone nodded, gravely, but somberly to what the alien had to say.

"Doctor Robotik had a hand in the effort of bringing me back, I am sure of it." Stone replied. "Because our medicine regarding treating _very_ severe radiation isn't that good."

"Where did this happen?" Sonic asked.

"It started in Washington DC and it ended in New York City." Stone said. "Go that way, Sonic." Stone pointed in the direction of the exit to the lair. "You should be able to make your getaway that way."

Sonic turned toward the main entrance of the lair.

"How do I get out of here?" Sonic asked. "He will know if someone left his lair with the security system."

"It should open when you start to go through since he programmed it to be a motion sensor access granter. I have dozens of motion sensor access granters like the rest of the other agents." Stone gestured for the younger alien to go on without him. "And I took care of that."

"Thanks for the help." Sonic said.

"No, Sonic." Stone shook his head with a smile. "Thank _you_."

"That's what a cool kid on the block does." Sonic gave a thumbs up. "Being helpful."

Sonic held his hand out expecting for a handshake but the older man shook his hands.

"I am practicing social distancing." Stone said. "I am not risking getting the Coronavirus and handing it to the person I did this all _for_."

Sonic smiled with a laugh then split his fingers apart for a v shape.

"Live long and prosper, Stoneman."

"Peace and long life, Hedgehog."

Sonic smiled then he was gone in a blue blur. Stone put the garden gloves into the fabric cleaner machine and sighed; relieved.

The difficult part was over.


	13. To be taken ill

Robotnik came down the stairs, clean, and the side of his hair had been head had been shaved freshly shaved and his mustache had been trimmed down to what it had been before, short but stuffy but pointed, as were the remains of what had been a month old beard. He scratched along his left cheek easing away at the itch that had recently only came up.

He descended down the stairs then walked through the residential bay into the medical bay with a few steps then put on the medical scrubs. Robotnik looked over spotting the assistant was in the nurse bay appearing to be unwell while slouched over in the large comfortable chair with wheels beneath it. 

"Eggy, vitals."

"Analysists indicate that he has the flu."

"Eggy, test him for the coronavirus."

Eggy put in a small but thin needle into the arm then took it out.

"Results are negative." Robotnik read from the analyzing holographic screen that appeared. "Wonderful."

Robotnik went up the stairs then returned with a thick but heavy blanket then handed it to the machine and gestured toward the agent.

"At least it is just the flu." Robotnik noted as Stone was covered in the blanket. "Eggy, prepare the stew."

Eggy beeped.

"The June 23rd, 1991 version." Robotnik specified. "That one I patented on that date. Medically healthy and nutritious for stupid bags of meat and water."

Eggy beeped away then whirred toward the kitchen. Robotnik activated a few more of the bots then turned away then went on toward the medical hub as the agent rested in the chair. The other eggbots joined Eggy. The agent was slouched in the dark comfy chair beginning to curl alongside the right arm rest. Robotnik's medical eggbots surrounded the table then he picked up the first tool as the plastic paneling came down around the medical hub.

Robotnik cut away carefully into the corpse then paused finding difficulty in cutting into the skin. He put his hands along the small quills then pressed them down out of the way but it was still just as difficult to perform the task. With each dozen so minutes ticking by, the doctor's frustration grew then thrust forward leaving a long slit into the corpse and he yelped. Irritated, Robotnik set his arm back in with a loud crack.

Robotnik stepped back, appalled, by the smell then waved a hand as he lifted up the head gear and spat into a small vase furiously spitting out the disgust that the foul stench had left behind. With his hand waved, a small red robot came to his side then held out a stash of clothing. Robotnik took the stash if clothing then furiously went back up the stairs and vanished out of the line of sight. The nurse bay barrier fell down around the agent.

The doctor came back down the stairs with a vengeance. He returned to the medical bay then slammed a yellow and black chainsaw alongside the operation table. Robotnik dug into the corpse with a chainsaw and a protective helmet shielding his visor. One of the medical bots returned with a needle then carefully slid it into a fine small hole in the operation uniform and sent in the necessary medication for the arm. The med bot withdrew then joined the sea of medical boadniks hovering by his side.

As he sawed into the material, the beef stew was being hard at work by the machines in the kitchen taking on various roles of the task and bringing out the ingredients then setting it right.

"What are you doing, doc?"

Sonic appeared by the doctor's side then left, gagging, but returned quickly with a gas mask sporting a oxygen tank and a black suit.

"Go away."

Sonic walked around the table then tried to lift himself up to see what he were into.

"What are you doing, hazmat doc?"

Robotnik was getting irritated.

"Operating, now go away." He waved a hand at the hedgehog. "Why you stupid little hallucination."

"The corpse stinks. Where did you get it from?" Sonic asked. "A rotten fish market?"

"No." Robotnik said. "Now, get out of my sight."

"You are doing it wrong." Sonic said. "You are going to cut off a limb doing that way."

"You are a figment of my imagination." Robotnik said. "You could not possibly be real."

"People said that about the voices in their head and it turns out the source of the voice was their body." Sonic said.

"You are not telling me anything useful to there being wrong in my body." Robotnik seethed.

"I am your conscience, Doctor Eggman." Sonic replied.

"I have no conscience." Robotnik replied.

"You always have had one." Sonic replied. "You have just been ignoring me."

Robotnik lifted the chainsaw from the corpse and growled waving it above Sonic's head then got nose to nose with Sonic.

"Then WHY in the LIVING HELL is my CONSCIENCE a OVERGROWN RAT?"

Sonic didn't break a sweat as he smirked.

"Because you would listen to the creature that is dead." Sonic said. "And I say that you deserve to spruce this place up, some greenery here and there," Sonic bolted around the place pointing from spot to spot then Robotnik resumed sawing into the corpse. "Some decorative artwork and it should feel bright just as you and cool looking."

"I don't like popping out." Robotnik sneered. "Considered yourself; blocked."

Robotnik dropped the chainsaw on to the operation table with a clatter then heaved a relieved sigh looking on into the sight. He saw a strange dim blue heart that had ceased to beat but it was faintly glowing on and off as if it were still alive. His eyes flashed open as he slid up the protective facial visor that was coated in ketchup. He stared in awe and his eyes became wide.

"Is that my heart?" Sonic asked.

Robotnik's gaze was fixated on the organs.

"Yes, now shut up and stop existing."

Sonic looked up toward Robotnik then frowned.

"I am too cool for that."

Robotnik rolled his eyes.

"You're too ugly to be around me." Robotnik waved his hand. "Go away."

"Never." Sonic said.

Robotnik was handed a long rod by a medical eggbot then he resumed poking at the expired ugly organs.


	14. A club, a family, a duo

The alien hedgehog hallucination lingered on in the lab until he got bored and vanished from the mind of the older man just as he had came. Robotnik took samples of the material that he had revealed and put it in the necessary compartments of the lab. He peered in through a microscope spotting the strange bacteria and cells that had long ago ceased to move. The bacteria was the strangest as it decomposed while being eaten away by small yet very tiny decomposers. It reminded him of insects. He flipped a switch and the sample was eliminated but the record was kept on the cloud.

He removed the organs, one by one, putting them on to the small platforms held out by the medical eggbots. His eggbots waited patiently without any argument as they weighed the once lively organs and moved them into their container. Inch by inch, minute by minute, he was settling down to the fine line of sanity. He discovered to his surprise the bone were a strange kind of living metal that reminded him of bone. It had the texture of a pipe and the general shape of a bone as he poked at the rib cage that shielded the lungs.

The ribcage was built out of titanium according to his scans. The creature had a unique body metabolism that meant it extracted protein out of the food including the nutrition and what not to help build up such strong bones. Robotnik fell disappointed as he shook his head; if only things had been different. If only, the creature hadn't ran away. The little alien would have made for a asset.

He continued prodding along and discovering new organs as the hours passed until his stomach grumbled. He stared down at the open corpse staring at it in a way that was of searching for something else to distract him after all that he had done taking the decomposing pieces out, cutting them open, and studying them. Robotnik had little else to do as he exited the medical bay then typed into a panel. The tarp was replaced by a wall then he returned upstairs, changed into more soothing and comfortable clothing, then returned to find his meal waiting for him on the counter.

Stone was hacking, hard, then Robotnik joined the younger man's side. "Agent Stone, you are to eat this stew."

"Yes--" Stone coughed. "Sir."

Robotnik carefully thought over his next reply.

"Call me Ivo." Robotnik said.

Stone looked up toward Robotnik.

"Doctor?" Stone coughed into his fist then looked up, puzzled but confused, toward the older man. "The only one you let---" He coughed repeatedly then relaxed into the chair. "call you Rob--" he had a series of coughing. "is your barber." he almost gagged at his next reply between his cough then looked up toward the older man. "Is Ivo your middle name?"

"My first name." Stone coughed a little more then attempted to clear his throat. "Not many assistants stick around my line of work, help me catch aliens, and wait around for my every whim." Robotnik squinted at the older man then grasped the man by the jaw and slid him forward glaring toward the man. "You didn't read the letter in full of your assignment."

"It was so long ago, Doctor." Stone's words were muffled but the meaning was able to be understood as he cradled the bowl in between his legs.

Robotnik hummed withdrawing his hand out of the younger man's mouth.

"You are part of the 'Ivo' club, Aban." Robotnik said. "You will get kicked out if you don't eat your stew." the younger man coughed into his closed fist then looked down toward the muck that covered the meat and carrots. "And you'll forever be in the rain calling me doctor."

Stone lifted his attention up from the red bowl toward the older man.

"Sure," Stone smiled. "Ivo."

"Good." Robotnik said. "Take a shower after."

"What--" Stone coughed. "About the CIA mission?"

"When you're better." Robotnik replied then yawned.

"That is a long time, Ivo." Stone replied.

"It won't be long." Robotnik said as the younger man ate the stew. "What you are eating has healing properties and is full of the best medication that I, the greatest man in the WHOOOLLEE WOOORRRLD, invented. Asides to puking out the bad bacteria in the morning and feeling sore all over; you will be healthy as a machine. It's very uncomfortable and exhausting puking all the bad bacteria out and humiliating."

Stone ate enough of the stew leaving only the soupy contents behind then placed it on to the counter.

"Anything to get better, sir." Stone replied. 

Robotnik stared him down as it became apparent becoming used to saying his name was going to take awhile.

"Then go to sleep, Agent Stone." Robotnik ordered, sharply.

And Stone was out slouching in the chair. 

"Eggy, did you get my meal prepared?"

Eaggy chirped.

"What did you and the others cook for your little old man?" Robotnik asked.

Robotnik went into the kitchen bay and stared at the hearty meal waiting for him on the table. The square table was surrounded by Eggbots, all of their red optics were blinking on and off, staring at his direction covered in party hats. To top it off, there was a tarp held up by four of them with text that had colorful vibrant colors with glitter decorating them that sparkled under the shades of blue illuminating from the florescent light fixture. The tarp read, as follows, with a exclamation mark:

**WELCOME BACK, DADDY.**

Robotnik smiled, tearfully, at his robotic children and proudly.

"Thank you for waiting for me." Robotnik said.

The Eggbots tackled Robotnik with clicks.

"OOF!" Robotnik said then laughed, his arms wrapped around ten of them then looked upon them dottingly. "I missed you too."

The eggbots chirped happily and Robotnik laughed.

This time, Robotnik laughed feeling whole and right at home. 


	15. Aban's fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sensed this scene deserved its own chapter. Short and sweet to the point like chapters before it.

Eggy bumped along Robotnik's face and the doctor bolted up in his bed with his eyes closed with a groan rubbing his forehead then picked up a bat. 

"How in the hell did a intruder get here?"

Eggy beeped, hysterical, swinging from side to side.

"No one?" Robotnik was tired as he slouched back into the bed. "Then who?"

Eggy beeped, twice, then flew up as Robotnik raise his head up at the sound of screaming. The doctor arrived to the source of the screaming then found the agent tossing and turning on the improvised bed made by a couch that had a cot untucked from beneath the pillows. The pillows were set underneath the bed beside the support legs of the bed.

The older man came to the agent's side then returned with a bucket and poured it over Stone's figure.

Stone bolted forward with a scream, "No" then panted and looked up toward the older man.

"Oh God--"

Stone fell over and clenched a hand against his mouth feeling the urge to puke.

"Perfect." Robotnik remarked then grabbed the man by the hair and proceeded to drag him to the lower room bathroom. 

Stone was suffering as he was dragged into the bathroom directly into the cold and bright room that blinded him at first. His head was held above a toilet then commanded, "Agent Stone, you are to puke this instant." and he did as ordered. Stone panted feeling all the disgust in his mouth. His head hung there then another jet of dinner came out and another then another. Then, only then, did the agent halt with his mouth held open and his stomach ached but felt generally empty.

Robotnik swung the man aside then put on a pair of translucent gloves and wrapped his fingers around a handle then swung it down. The agent lifted up staring at the figure that was watching all the muck be swallowed whole by the toilet. He stared in disbelief at the man towering over him with confusion and noting that he lacked glove even appearing to have gained some fat from how he had last seen him. That had been, what, a year ago?

"This isn't real." Stone said.

Robotnik turned toward the lethargic agent and Eggy planted on to Stone's head.

"Eggy, is he running a fever?" Robotnik asked.

Eggy chirped as the older man loomed over the agent placing his hands on his hips. 

"It can't." Stone said.

"I am just as real as you are, Stone." Robotnik said.

"Doctor Robotnik doesn't sleep without his gloves on." Stone noted. "And never shows his hands." His eyes were struggling to remain open as he was pressed against the wall of the bathroom. "And I really doubt that burn wounds are the reason why he wears them."

Robotnik folded his arms then lifted a brow.

"Why do you think that he wears gloves?"

"Because he doesn't want skin contact with anyone or physical."

"What can I do to prove that you are not hallucinating?"

"Hold me."

"That is quite below me."

"Either way, I am hallucinating." Stone acknowledged as he slid himself forward then used Eggy as his support up with a arm as his legs fell shaky beneath him. "Doctor Robotnik would never leave his hand on me for longer than a few minutes . . . or in my mouth."

Stone blinked as he could feel himself falling forward.

"And that would mean I am having this conversation to myself in my bathroom."

Robotnik paused thinking it over looking aside as it occurred to him what had happened in his lengthy episode of madness.

"You weren't there." Robotnik said then shifted his gaze on toward Stone.

Stone laughed, his figure shaking, as his eyes were closed reeling in the laughter then let it loose.

"I wish I were there." Stone said. "If only. . . If only. . . If only."

Robotnik saw the man proceed to fall then came into his line of trajectory and caught the agent in his arm.

"You'll feel better in a few hours." Robotnik said then slid the man to his side and laced the man's arm around his shoulder. He proceeded to walk out of the bathroom with the agent tiredly walking along his side. "My special, but very specific, personally invented modified marijuana with certain healing qualities in the stew always leave this kick behind with their drawbacks."

Eggy helped Robotnik guide the younger man up the stairs then sent him into his bedroom. It was the nearest bedroom to the toilet, after all, just six steps away from the bed and running forward then kneeling down, hurling, and the job would be done if there were any left over bacteria that was posing a threat inside of the agent. Robotnik dropped the agent on the right side of the bed then stepped back and admired his work.

The agent was down to a mere white shirt and shorts that his eggbots had changed Stone into once the doctor had went up to bed himself. Robotnik grimaced at the prospect of sleeping in the same space. He went over to a remote then pressed a blue button. A blue wall came between them then Robotnik relaxed with a sigh. The older man went to the left side of the bed then slipped in and fell to sleep.

Robotnik slipped out of the comforting dark to the distinctive feeling of feeling cold and shivering. He bolted up with his eyes wide open then looked in the direction of the agent hogging the blankets to himself. So Robotnik shoved out a large size of the blanket that was capable of sharing then shoved the blue wall between them further into the bed. He fell asleep wrapped in the blanket. Once more, he was disturbed out of rest from a certain blanket stealing agent. 

Robotnik chucked the barrier out then went to the right side of the bed, scowling, over the snoring of the agent. The agent's arms were spread out above his head along the pillow moving up and down as though they were climbing. Climbing? What kind of dreams did this man have? _Absurd dreams_ , Robotnik assumed.

Robotnik's mind wandered over to previous minds that he could be dreaming about and came to a few in particular where his drones were forbidden to be used in a area strictly used for a bird habitat. He recalled that quite fondly chasing after a group of white nationalist terrorists during the Obama Administration preparing to launch a stolen missile from Russia on a town that was populated by recently arrived foreigners seeking for a better life as he used his invented smart watch to attempt hacking into the missile.

With that train of thought (and a smile), the man fell asleep clenching on to the blanket with his fingers turning as hard as iron in their grip regarding the blanket. 

This time, the agent didn't steal the blanket but instead was drawn over to the doctor then _finally_ settled down. 

His vitals indicated the night terror that was starting to happen had ended abruptly.

And Eggy was satisfied then returned to their charge station leaving the men in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to edit Doctor Robotnik's line about the soup because I felt that I was basically saying that Stone had healing stew with hallucinatory drugs and that Stone was high. Which, he wasn't high at all.


	16. Breakfast with the American plan being sewn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be quite short but Stobotnik thought otherwise.

It was Agent Stone who got up from the bed then slipped and fell to the floor landing with a hard thud to the cold floor. The sound of Robotnik's laughter echoed in the room then the agent was up to his feet, then stared at the bed and back toward his cackling employer, then Stone smiled watching the older man fall to the floor laughing manically. 

"You fell out of bed! I have HAND RAILS installed!" Robotnik reeled himself forward then his back hit the floor. "And you slid right through them!" the doctor smacked his hand against the floor having a blast. "You're impossible, Aban!"

And Stone mentally thought, _so says my former employers_.

"Oh? I am told that I make everything possible."

"As a agent." the older man slid up wiping off the tears with a sleeve. "As a human being; whole different story."

"That's the nicest thing that anyone has said to me in a long time." Stone said as he began to smile.

"It's not a compliment," Robotnik protested. "It's a state of fact."

Stone scanned the bed then looked toward the older man then his smile faded as the amusement was replaced by confusion.

"Why did we share the same bed?" Stone asked.

"You were sick and having a night terror." Robotnik said. "Your screaming was unfathomable. Turns out, skin contact was your pacifier."

"That . . . certainly explains it." Stone noted.

"I owe you." Robotnik rubbed the back of his neck as he leaned against the wall. "A lot."

"Hm?" Stone tilted his head. "You don't owe me anything."

"I was insane when I came back to Earth and you went along with it." Robotnik said. "You didn't make it distressing, upsetting, or worse."

"You hired me to help you." Stone replied. "That is in the job description."

"But, waiting for me?" Robotnik pointed toward himself then stretched his arms out. "For months on end? That is not in the job description." Robotnik folded his arms. "That is called devotion."

"You do owe me." Stone acknowledged. "But, it's not what you think. It's feelings."

"Feelings, Agent Stone?" Robotnik asked. "Or intimacy?"

"I wouldn't change a thing about you." Stone said. "I wouldn't call the discussion of feelings intimate. I would call it. . ."

"Call it what?" Robotnik furrowed his brows. "Romantic? Appalling?" Stone smiled, wider, at the man's comments in amusement. "Horrid? Gifting?"

"Getting the cat out of the bag." Stone said. "Nothing has to change after the discussion."

"Eggy and their siblings brought your clothing from your house here." Robotnik changed the subject looking over alongside the agent's side. "And did the laundry." 

The agent was handed a set of clothing by Eggy then he went into the bathroom and proceeded to shower for the day. A few moments later, the agent exited the bathroom then the older man went in coated in head to toe in PPE and sprayed the place down. The agent leaned forward then smelled the bed and picked up the distinctive scent of lysol. The smell echoed through the entire room to his surprise.

The agent shrugged it off then exited the bedroom as he straightened his tie then went to the kitchen to make the doctor a latte which is where found the Austrian milk conveniently placed on the counter. He looked over toward the eggbots that were covered in dents, shoot, and icicles that were slowly going away then he pat on them.

"Good eggbots." Stone said.

The eggbots chirped then left him be.

"Very good eggbots." Stone said.

In three minutes, the agent made the Austrian latte for the doctor and for himself then followed a old habit in the next few minutes preparing breakfast with the help of the eggbots tossing the eggs into his hands then applying them to the pan with vegetable oil applied then cooked the bacon along with it and got the grilled cheese ready. By the time that the older man came down the stairs, Stone set the meals on the table and washed his hands properly singing to himself a song from Mulan. The eggbots cleaned up the mess left behind by the agent.

"MmMM, I smelled breakfast." Robotnik said. "What did you cook? Turkey bacon? Super chicken eggs?"

Robotnik stared at the two pans that were set side by side with the bacon set along the white parts of the sunny side up eggs and the grilled cheese set alongside.

"That's pig bacon." Stone replied. "And I may have."

"May have. . ." Then Robotnik grunted as he sat at the table. "hmph!"

Stone added the last ingredients to the eggs then set the napkins on the table and sat down himself in a seat then unfolded the napkin, placed it on to his lap, then proceeded to cut around the rim of the sunny side up egg to absorb the golden content across from alongside the older man.The eggbots poured in apple juice for the two men in cups then slid it toward them. Stone and Robotnik caught the cups rolled in their direction. 

"According to the internal and classified records that I dug up, the target has had Coronavirus." Stone said.

Robotnik took a bite out of the grilled cheese then held a finger up.

"If the Coronavirus can't kill him then I can!" Robotnik announced then sipped from the latte. 

Robotnik lowered the cup down as a thought came over him. 

"My old plan wouldn't necessarily work." Robotnik noted. "Everyone is still quarantining. It wouldn't fly."

"Back to the drawing board then, Ivo?" Stone asked.

Robotnik jabbed his fingers into Stone's eyes then the man yelped and shielded his eyes.

"Not so fast, wise guy." Robotnik shook his finger from side to side. "In seventy-two hours, the target's demise will be ready."

"What is the plan?" Stone lowered his hands off his face.

"Does China have another pandemic?"

"No."

"Then I have to go . . . do it."

"Do what?"

"Find someone asymptomatic with a different strain of the Coronavirus."

"Ivo, you wouldn't need to search far."

"Why is it that?"

"Remember that person you made infect the officer?"

Robotnik lowered the fork down as his eyes flashed open.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of it? Make a American hero of the ill? You're a genius, Aban!"

In the next instant, the side of the agent's cheeks were grasped then he were thrust into a kiss. He was startled at first but then relaxed and melted in the kiss. The older man withdrew as Stone sat there blinking, phased, as his eyes blinked open wondering to himself-- _am I dreaming? Am I dreaming? Am I still dreaming?_ All the while licking around his teeth finding pieces of bacon that weren't there before as the older man summoned Eggy and gave the order. Robotnik waved the machine off.

"Don't be so rude and stare at your employer like that." Robotnik scowled back at the younger man and jabbed his fork into the egg. "Not after you were so _generously_ thanked."

Stone withdrew with a smile and licked the pieces of bacon off his teeth then looked over spotting his phone alongside him.

"Patient Zero MUST have a new strain!" Robotnik said. "If not, then I will have to use a nanobotnik on him that dissolves once performing its purpose."

The agent picked it up and wrote a wall of text for the commander.

"A nanobotnik?" Stone said with a lift of his brow. "When have you made a nanobot?"

Robotnik turned his attention off the meal.

"How do you think I lost that ulcer which wrecked my stomach for weeks on end when you first came under my employment?" Robotnik asked.

"You got a healthy diet." Stone replied. 

Robotnik stared at Stone, incredulously.

"That's the most stupidest thing I have heard." Robotnik said then resumed eating.


	17. New Patient Zero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again. another short chapter. God. I wish the ending is coming soon for this story!

Varilyn's body ached. It ached in ways that it hadn't quite before. It ached in ways that she had became forced to become familiar to after attending a party celebrating the fact that the virus was gone from their lives. It returned with a vengeance taking away Varilyn's friends leaving her alone. Just a few days ago, the 'resident' in chief announced the mission was accomplished and everyone could go back to work. A week later, the resident quickly changed his tune once the economy was crashing once more and Varilyn had already infected everyone around her.

The Coronavirus had paused if for a moment then resumed mowing down people without a care in the world of who they were, how much money the made, and their social standing. It had killed tens of thousands of people in the United States and wasn't going to stop any time soon by the feeling of it. She was in her bed coughing into her fist then looked over spotting a strange machine bumping against the window of her bedroom.

 _Hallucination_ , Varilyn assumed as she closed her eyes and popped in a cough drop to ease the cough. Her throat was sore from days of coughing. Days that slowly melted into feeling fluid growing. Eventually, the cough drop dissolved. She slid the bucket that she had normally used for cleaning to the side of the bed then did the necessary act and the liquid emptied into the bowl. She slumped in the bed falling unconscious.

Variyn returned to the land of the living feeling something in her throat then started to panic until she felt a hand on her shoulder and a fully equipped figure in PPE equipment with a hazmat suit on staring down her with disdainful eyes. And she could breathe with the difficult, long, and foreign object inserted through her mouth.

"She is out of the question."

"What are we going to do, Doctor?"

"Are the hospitals open for her?"

"I'll look into the hospitals fighting Coronavirus hash tag." There was silence between them. "Ah huh." The agent raised his head up from the device facing the older man. "No."

The older man in gear lowered his gaze upon Varilyn.

"Agent Stone, is there anything else I should know about the virus?"

"Even if you recover from it, you can still spread it." Stone replied.

It was hard to tell if the doctor were frowning as his eyes studied the younger woman.

"Do you understand this?" was the question proposed to her. "Blink once."

Varilyn blinked.

"We have left overs left of a stew that can cure your illness." the older doctor pointed toward the equipment managing her illness then pointed toward Varilyn. "It will force you to puke in several hours."

Varilyn blinked, tearfully.

"One moment." Robotnik said.

"Doctor Robotnik is ordering his badniks to make a injection version." Stone explained as the older man turned away and typed into a smart watch on his wrist. "You will have to wait a hour." Varilyn felt her stomach become heavier at the information. "Can you wait that long?"

Varilyn blinked, while her eyes were pleading; _help me_.

"That is a very patient woman." Robotnik noted.

"Does your last name start with a A?" Stone asked.

Varilyn blinked twice.

"B?"

Varilyn blinked twice.

"C?"

Varilyn blinked, once.

"Cell?" Stone asked.

She fluttered her eyelashes, briefly. 

"Cellophone?" She blinked twice to the name thrown out by the older man. "Casual? Course?" She blinked twice in succession. "Is it Camera?"

She blinked once more to the doctor's questions that were beginning to grow more irritated by each passing word.

"Cam?" Varilyn blinked twice. "What kind of ridiculous name do you have? Family heirloom? You make mine the more superior!"

It was difficult to shrug with her body aching so she did with lifting her brows up, weakly, then lowered them.

"Cello?" Stone added.

Varilyn's eyes fluttered open and close.

"Sort of?" Stone asked.

Varilyn blinked.

"Miss C, do you have groceries to last for a month or two?" Stone asked.

Varilyn blinked twice.

"You need to be self quarantining for at least another month." Robotnik said. "Can you do that?"

The agent typed into the phone as he stood alongside the older man and Varilyn blinked.

"If you go out and break quarantine then I won't save your petty moronic life." Robotnik said. "Understood?"

A tear came down as she blinked.

"The rest of the human population will get the cure in a few weeks." Her vision started to darken as the older man lowered down to her level. "You can get out of the house on March 1st."

Varilyn's eyes became full of water as she felt that she were drowning.

"Doctor." Stone started calmly. "The liquid is rising."

Robotnik stared on toward the ventilator.

"Good thing that I packed a second suction tubing." Stone said.

Robotnik hooked another long tube up in the machine that was packed inside her neck and the water fell out the long translucent tubing.

"We need to use you before you quarantine." Stone said. "It's for America."

"The one thing that we can all agree on in this time of crisis." Robotnik said. "Going backwards instead of forwards. More of oppressive dictatorship that refuses to contain a virus when it entered a year ago with[ every chance to kill it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkMwvmJLnc0&feature=emb_logo) but allowed it to spread and does not allow the democratic leaning states to get medical equipment since they report on the cases." The facial features of the men showed their disgust. "Can do you do as we ask?"

Varilyn blinked quite quickly then watched as the older man leaned back.

"Nighty nighty." Robotnik waved at Varilyn with a smile as her eyes completely closed with a single train of thought. 

_What strange characters. . ._

And Varilyn fell into the comforting dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trump's actions in squandering important medical equipment are true regarding democratic states -->
> 
> 1\. https://patch.com/massachusetts/foxborough/coronavirus-warren-accused-feds-taking-ma-medical-supplies  
> 2\. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/31/massachusetts-not-happy-warren-condemns-trump-outbidding-states-seizing-key-medical  
> 3\. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/us/governors-trump-coronavirus.html


	18. Relayment of security

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how many chapters this story is going to end with but I am hoping maybe chapter 19 or 20 will be the end.

Varilyn covered her mouth bolting up then made a run for the bathroom. She skid and fell to a halt, her collection of cats hung on the bookshelves and counters, staring down at her with their tails swinging back and forth. The eldest black cat tilted their head at her with a high pitch but confused meow. She got up to her feet then made her way to the bathroom and fell down to her knees and puked until she couldn't puke any more. She slumped in the bathroom landing to her side.

Varilyn was joined by her cats that sat down alongside her and purred.

Varilyn smiled, then fell asleep, feeling _better_.

* * *

Walters arrived to the room at the time that Stone had requested then gave a nod to one of the communication specialists. The dark room became highlighted by a bright blue light then the light dimmed replaced by darkness that grew lighter until it were white then it cooled down to a light gray as the commander's eyes squinted. The adjustment was done within moments.

"Doctor Robotnik and I have secured patient zero." Stone said. "It will take a complete twenty-four hours before the plan can begin."

"What is the name of the patriot?" Walters asked.

"We didn't get her name." Stone shook his head.

"Miss Jane Doe it is." Walters said.

Robotnik came into view.

"It starts with a C, Commander Walters." Robotnik butted in holding his finger up. "Now, we have _that_ significant part straightened out."

"Miss C, we got that." Walters replied.

"You won't know Miss C's real name but her name isn't important because the one she will give at the press conference will be the most stupidest, moronic, but quite simple ones that you have ever heard." Then the doctor proceeded to smile, widely, as a glint sprung behind his dark lens then slid his finger into his fist lowering it down. "And it will be the best one yet."

"What will her persona be?" Walters asked.

"It is best to be left as a surprise." Robotnik said. "Now, is there any other missions that are up for grabs?"

"We need someone to check on the creatures below this time of year. They haven't been exactly monitored by the proper subs because of the coup or fed for that matter." Robotnik nodded then turned away tapping on his chin contemplating. "This isn't your jurisdiction or your kind of specialty."

"These creatures endanger transportation going over them." Robotnik replied. "This is my kind of specialty given how easily they make machines malfunction."

"But, those are organic." Walters said. "They are not on the to-kill list."

"You think I made my career out of just killing things, Commander?" Robotnik asked, taking off his gloves glaring toward him.

"It is in your reputation." Walters replied. 

"You are so very narrow minded." Robotnik noted. "No wonder I dislike you so much. You assume everything without information is killing machines."

"Wait just a moment, that alien creature in the pacific was threatening next potential pandemic hot spot and we had little choice on letting it continue extracting them and eating them! How could we know it was extracting the new bacteria then spitting them back out hundreds of miles away on a large island?"

"You did---what?" Robotnik's mouth fell slight and his brows hunched together.

"Oh." Walters said as he almost sunk. "That never happened."

"I refer to the incidents in which you assumed literal new born water based sauropods and generally disturbed octopuses taken from their natural habitat by your missions rocking cruise ships was a killing machine and you ordered for their demise." He glared at the older man. "I never got a chance to study them and hand them over to the natural museum of marine life because yoooou cleaaaned it up before I had the chance to get my hands on it!"

"We didn't want people to panic that such creatures existed." Walters said. "What kind of men are we to do that?"

"Those creatures are interesting to some people." Robotnik chided the commander. "And you left a large sample of one that you were too slow to clean up on the shore. Still in the archive. . ." he squinted at the older man. "is it?"

"Uh, why, yes, it is." Walters said, nodding, firmly in reply. "You got your hands on one, anyway. I don't know why you are so angry about this---"

"That was a _juvenile_." Robotnik cut the commander off with a glare. "Not a adult, Commander Walters."

"Why do you advocate for them if you can't stand going underwater?" Walters asked.

"Someone has to advocate for science to make progress of the other creatures that live around us." Robotnik said. "Excuse me, I have to check on the federal protected marine wildlife and feed them against my most reasonable fears."

Robotnik went away from the screen.

"Least he is himself." Walters grumbled.

"Sir," Stone said. "Once she recovers, we will give her full name to you."

"I will make sure that I am there to give her the medal in a private and secret ceremony once this is all said and done." Walters said. "How long do I have to wait for him to be on Death's door?"

"After the infection," Stone said. "Not long."

"Thank you, Agent Stone." Walters said. "For doing your best to serve your country."

It was a simple salute and the feed was cut off but Stone was left smiling. 

"Aban, where is the Botnik Submarine?" Robotnik asked from the distance.

"In the basement, Ivo." Stone replied.

"It's not there." Robotnik said as Stone turned toward him then looked down toward the various levels of floor leading to the bottom of the pit covered in crocodiles.

Robotnik lifted out several large chunks of meat and tossed it out to the pit.

"Very good chance that it has sunk to the bottom." Stone replied.

Robotnik groaned, dropping his head into his hand, sulking.

"Time to use the deep sea botnik to bring it up." Robotnik lifted his head up. "Agent Stone, man the deep sea botnik bay and bring that ship up."

"Yes, sir." Stone replied with a smile then walked off to the lower bay across from the pit.

Robotnik looked down toward the pit that had water splashed back and forth as the animals were twirling the meat.

* * *

Varilyn awoke to one of her cats patting on her face.

"I'm up, I am up, I am up."

She groaned, sliding herself up, as her eyes proceeded to open staring toward the black cat with yellow eyes. 

"Wait for your mistress to get up, will you, Lordy?"

Lordy meowed as Varilyn used the rims of the toilet as her support up. She sighed then got up to her feet and waked out of the bathroom with a distinctive tremble making her way down the narrow corridor. She went to the kitchen then swung open the fridge door and stared at the inside. It was jam packed with nonperishable and perishables. The doctor and the agent had went out of their way to help her in exchange that she help them.

She opened the freezer spotting a couple gallons of milk that were frozen stashed alongside the rows of various frozen meat. She closed the freezer with a smile then went to the fridge and proceeded to take out a stash of eggs, take out butter, close the door, get out bread, and prepared herself some breakfast.

It wasn't the worst way to be rescued.


	19. Robotnik's submarine on a mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dialogue heavy for this part of the story.

The botnik submarine appeared out of the water and the crocodiles fell off landing with splashes. The men stood side by side with arms folded looking up toward the black craft with a secondary theme that gave it a edgy but slightly cartoon appearance. The escalator appeared from the side sliding down to the docking bay.

It was Robotnik who walked up the stairs that had pieces of seaweed fell from the railing of the platform. Stone rolled open the hatch then the doctor was the first to descend down the stairs and the agent followed not that long after. The older man had his gloves back on that shielded from view the long-term burns that his hands were decorated in.

"Are the radiation crystals in the engineering bay?" Robotnik asked.

"Yes, sir." Stone replied with a nod. "I didn't return to the lair after you had left."

"Until I had returned. Cute." Robotnik noted. "We have to check the rest of the transport models once we get back and check for problems for being parked for so long."

* * *

The botnik submarine flew on into the distance of the dark water armed with new layers of meat. It quietly rushed through the depths of the below as it withstood the pressure against it. It became darker by each passing moment until the came to a pause and the ship's hulls groaned in protest against the sudden stop. Robotnik stood up front in front of the view screen as Stone stood at the console piloting the craft.

Robotnik gestured toward the entrance of a cavern. The ship flew toward the cavern entrance then tipped sideways narrowly missing the large protruding rocky parts of the cave's mouth. The ship continued on into the dark cave that was illuminating from the head lights of the botnik submarine that revealed the strange and unique creatures calling the side of the cavern their nesting place.

"We're in the center, sir." Stone said. "I see nothing there."

"There is something there." Robotnik searched among the cavern walls.

"Radar and sensor equipment indicate there is nothing here." Stone noted.

"They blend really well when they are conserving food and what little energy they have." Robotnik said. "Must be in hibernation mode."

"Or camouflaging themselves with their temperature lowered artificially."

"Release the meat." Robotnik said. "They will show up."

"Releasing the meals." Stone flicked a switch then another switch and pressed a red button.

From above the submarine, seas of crates lifted up then the crates fell apart revealing boxes of packaged meat. Large tentacles reached out and grasped on to the large stash of meat then yanked it back as hundreds of these were floating up. Stone looked on in awe watching the large squids fighting among themselves for more.

"Looks like I came back in the nick of time." Robotnik said. "Release the secondary meals."

"Releasing the secondary meals." Stone said.

Stone flicked up the lower set of switches then pressed the lower red button.

"Eat, my pretties! Eaaaat! Eaat all that you like! Eaaat it alll up!"

A entire level of meat flew up into the water and was caught by the starving octopuses that were massive in size compared to the tiny submarine. The entire scenery was coated in meat that was flying around and the distinctive sound of water being swirled. Robotnik grinned, a bit maniacally, staring on toward the center of the meal place.

Abruptly, the submarine was tossed and Stone remained fixed in place grabbing hold on to the handle bar. The large octopuses were swirling around gobbling up the food as the submarine was sent twirling. Robotnik shrieked then hit the wall and grasped on to a handle. The agent calmly sent in the next command with his free hand while his stomach was beginning to twist up and his entire body was internally screaming in terror as he, Aban, wasn't.

Stone took his hand off the touch screen and grasped on to the handle. They waited for the ship to retreat out of the cavern with their hearts racing with baited breath watching the wall of meat become blurred but quite distant. They came out of the cavern then turned away from the entrance fleeing the scene. The only sounds that were echoing through the sub was the sound of the radar that went _doot dooo doot duuh doot duh_ that lost the intensity once they were far away from it. The men sighed, relieved, at the close call they could have had. 

"Next, we go to the Megaladons."

"Sir?" Stone asked. "Those are extinct."

"Aban, you have worked for me for fifteen years and you haven't the faintest idea that Megaladons survived." Robotnik said. "Unbelievable."

"You rarely go here, Ivo." Stone said. "And they never pop up along the beaches. That is just the tiger sharks that do."

"You haven't gone diving at all or done some investigating of the well known versions of Nessie?" Robotnik asked.

"I didn't have the time." Stone said.

"The marine sauropods eat fish so there isn't a need to pay them a visit." Robotnik shook his hand.

"How long have they co-existed among us?" Stone asked.

"A long time." Was all Robotnik said about the existence. "More frightened of us than we are of them. And live most of their lives below the surface. Stealthy and evasive pieces of biological evolution." He turned away from the window with his hands linked behind his back. "The Nazis tried to get their hands on them but . . . they failed."

"How did they fail?"

"Grandfather was there."

"That sounds very interesting. Was there other geniuses part of the war efforts?"

Robotnik looked back, quite fondly, at his grandfather retelling him about the war after they had finally met. Robotnik was twenty when he crossed paths with his relative for the first time and they were discussing their shared passion of technology and how they used it in their day to day to day life. He recalled how proud his grandfather was of his new creation and admired his proto-eggbots that were mere floating garbage cans with wires, cameras, but very noisy in 1982. 

"He found a way to communicate with them before the others caught up with him." Robotnik proceeded to explain. "Most of the U-boats subs sunk."

"All of them?"

"The others were battered and had to flee. He destroyed the equipment that allowed him to do that."

"Why don't you do that?"

"There is no war that makes them necessary." Robotnik reminded the agent with a glare as he towered over the man. "And we don't need giant squids coming to a rescue for a war that is on land." 

Robotnik gestured up toward the ceiling of the craft then lowered his hand down.

"I see that the Neo-Nazis failed again."

"Their just deserts. I hope they suffered badly for meddling with creatures beyond their knowledge."

"They always do in the end."

"Wish I could see the looks on their faces when it came for them." Stone gave voice to a thought that was on Robotnik's mind.

The older doctor smirked turning toward the dome window of the craft spotting several downed submarines on the floor that were cracked in half already taken over by the marine life as a refuge.

"There is a setting that reads Megaladon feeding grounds and Megaladon feeding pick up. Select the latter first."

"Yes, sir."

"We have millions of fish to catch. Get me when the ship announces we're there." Robotnik walked past the agent heading toward the ladder then paused and proceeded to climb down. "I will be focusing on the servo repairs in the mega-marine life supply bay."

* * *

Morning came and Stone retrieved Austrian milk from the stockpile and prepared his employer the necessary latte. He set about preparing himself a drink as well as the ship were in autopilot heading for the destination in mind. He went through several passageways and closed the doors behind him one at a time and got lost a few times until he came to the bay that had 'when you're evil' by Voltaire playing.

And the song ended.

"Good morning, Ivo." Stone greeted him

Robotnik shrieked and leaped upon a chair then stared upon the agent.

"Hoooow daaare you do that to me when we are below sea level!" Robotnik said.

Stone smiled, then held up the cart, for the doctor.

"Here's your latte."

Robotnik aggressively yanked the latte cup out of the holder. 

"You're late." Robotnik said, sharply, then sipped the reusable cup and lowered it feeling renewed as he descended from the bar stool. He slid up his dark blue goggles and slipped on his black lens. "Are we there yet?"

The agent shook his head and the doctor frowned.

"We will be there in a hour." Stone said then revealed a platter from behind him and smiled back. "I brought you breakfast."

"Put our plates over there." Robotnik instructed.

Stone admired the work as he did as he was requested.

"The arms look brand new and very clean."

"I couldn't sleep. Did you get some sleep?"

"Very little." Stone replied. "I was entranced by the sea floor."

"I used to do that until my foster parent ruined the experience and wrecked my proto-botnik submarine."

"You made your first submarine when you were a kid? I am impressed, Doctor. You have come a long way to get in power as the captain of the ship."

Robotnik stood there, blinking, as if he didn't know what to say at first to the compliment.

"I did." Robotnik admitted after a long moment with a small sorrowful smile with pride in it. "Blamed me for the loss of his one way ticket to being rich because I told the authorities that he did it intentionally and killed my foster mother. My then-current foster mother had a life insurance that he insisted that she get before we had a family outing."

The older man shuddered as Stone listened.

"After that happened, before the trial started, he took my in progress prototype with me one night. . . and I have been afraid of water since then." The doctor's eyes opened as he paled at the memory. "Made me stare at it. Stare at what he brought the ship to."

For a moment, Robotnik was back there, as Stone watched his employer become distant to his eyes and years away in a memory.

"Mines all over place, sharp rocks digging into the proto-botnik submarine, bodies that had been thrown into the ocean tied to blocks." Robotnik closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, deeply shaken by the memory. He leaned against a pole then rubbed his forehead. He slid his glasses off then lowered his head. "I was fifteen and he was a forty-five year old crime boss with guards around him."

He raised his head up, angered, at the injustice as his eyes flashed open.

"Left me to DIE there. LEEEFT MEE! A GENIUUS! A child who was a better man than he was when it came to taking care of her!" Robotnik raged with emphasis pacing back and forth. He folded his arms shaking his head in disappointment. Robotnik combed his hair with one hand and sighed. "Luckily, I was using my first proto-eggbots and had to cannibalize them to become my lifeboat very quickly."

"What did you do about it after he disciplined you?"

"I did what I could do with what I had in the limited technology." Robotnik said, then beamed proudly, at his accomplishment. "I pranked them and had them kill each other after making the first voice distinguisher." the doctor grimaced as the next memory came to his mind. "And then I went to another family. . . They were better except the mother had a thing with fires and inflicting pain. And the father was trying to talk her into therapy."

"Is that why you have burns?"

"No. I lost my hands by accident when I was twenty-three and had to regenerate my hands. The US military had a hand in that." Stone was intrigued by the older man's story. "Unluckily for me, they were permanently burned because of terrible programming by people using my program on how to theoretically regenerate human limbs, human tissue, and human bones."

The doctor tipped his hand over then went toward the table and sat down in the chair so the agent followed suit.

"That is before I started hating anything related to being human."

"Why haven't you made metal hands to replace them if you dislike them so much?" Stone asked. 

"The pain is not worth it." Robotnik said. "I don't dislike them. I can live with it."

"Then why wear gloves?" Stone asked.

"Because I don't like being physical, Aban." Robotnik said. "It's my first try in regenerating _anything_. It is my reminder how far I have come."

Stone smiled back at the doctor.


	20. What begins to sink shall rise again

It was done in a few hours of going to the supply bay and gathering what was necessary. The fish were contained in small boxes that were stacked on one another that were programmed to be released upon the signal had been given to the boxes to release at the right moment to feed them. Stone watched as the large fish passed by them following along the current that had one eye on each side and was flat, even fat, missing a chunk of itself as they went up the level of the sea level.

The megaladons were swirling in the center of what was a community of fish. The agent flicked the switches with the gesture of the doctor's hand in the middle of the afternoon. The agent stood alongside the doctor watching as the sharks began to munch on the seas of fish that had entered the area. The shark tails swung against the submarine sending it swinging aside and duo were sent aside. Another shark swung a tail against it as they were hunting down the mass of fish.

The doctor crashed upon Stone then grasped on to a handle and held the man by the center of the back. And they were close together, so utterly close together, that was the first thing the agent noted as he struggled to keep back the blush that threatened to overcome his calm composure. And Stone could feel himself begin to harden being so very close to the doctor as he kept his blush back quite professionally.

"Doctor, is this normal?"

"Yes, no, maybe. I don't know."

"If they keep doing this, we are going to get some holes."

"We are not going to get leaks, agent. If we do, my botniks can take care of that sliding into them."

"We left them at the lair."

"Not true, I installed emergency ones of all sizes in here in case history repeated."

The ship was struck once more and they were swung aside with a screech. The submarine flipped and twirled then there was klaxons as the whole world was spinning. The men founded themselves on the ground as water came pouring down the corridor. Stone came to the console then spotted to his horror of the damage report.

"What is the report?"

"We have several holes. Five inches wide."

"Specify the number of the holes."

"Forty-eight."

"I have forty-four drones." He took off his boots and slid his socks of then so did Stone. "Get duct tape! It should hold the pressure of the water. "

"Yes, sir!" Stone was handed the older man's socks then the assistant sped away.

"Time to wake up, my pretties. Daddy needs you." Robotnik lifted his hands up then commanded with his fingers the creatures to awaken.

The agent stormed down the corridor heading further down and down then slid down the staircase until he came to the lower decks of the botnik submarine. It almost seemed quite futuristic when it came to the design. More of a starship than a submarine except it lacked windows. The botnik submarine had white walls and florescent lights that glowed red as he saw the stream of water pouring down his way.

He rolled the socks up then shoved them into the holes one by one. He went into a cabin, opened a cabinet, took it out, then came back out and slid the tape on the hole covering it up. The machines flew over the younger man in various sizes then slipped into the hole and embedded their long claws into the wall.

Stone looked down as he observed that he were waist deep in the water. He proceeded to climb up the ladder back to the upper section of the ship then the ship went from side to side with a rattle so his grip let go of the duct tape and he hit his back against the frame of the ladder. He looked toward the side console and searched the screen. There was a new damage report from the hull.

"Any new damage, agent?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is it negotiable?"

"According to the report, it is."

"I am bringing the ship up to the surface. Fix it!"

The agent searched for the roll of duct tape then spotted it distantly and looked over spotting the water was gushing on. 

"The duct tape is further up ahead. Far enough. It is retrievable."

"Then get it. Quickly! The ship can't take five decks! If it gets five decks--we won't be able to rise quickly and dump all the water out!"

The agent made a bolt for the duct tape. He took in a deep breath, dived under the water, then swam on after the sinking duct tape. He grabbed a hold on to it then made his way back to the damaged section of the submarine. He tore off a chunk off the tape then slipped it on to the hole and another layer then another. Once he were satisfied that it were patched up, he turned away from the hole. He swam up and up and up the ship as he noticed that it had filled up the upper two levels with each passing hole that he went up.

Stone came to the surface then gasped for air and regained his bearings. Within a few minutes, he was freezing cold so he hugged himself as his heart was pounding against his chest. The calm slowly came then he relaxed. Abruptly, the submarine slashed from side to side throwing the agent the same way and the water level rose further. The agent looked up searching for water trickling down hatch and the water level was rising below him. He ducked then swam toward the lower decks carrying the duct tape. There was five new hole gushing water inside.

Stone unraveled the duct tape as he swam on toward the damaged hull. He layered each hole in three pieces of tape then proceeded to gag. Proceeding to choke with the lack of air entering his throat and through his nose that was being filled in water. Stone swam up toward the hatch hearing the sound of muffled talking from the console along side him belonging to the doctor.

Suddenly, the hatch door closed above him as he rose up to the surface and was met with oxygen then started to smack his fist against it. Robotnik appeared above the window looking down upon the agent and he looked quite pale. And Stone was tired of fighting to remain floating as the man held up his index finger then vanished from his line of sight. Whatever material the ship was made of; sound couldn't be heard through the walls or the glass for that matter. Was it even made of glass? He wondered.

 _Is the water rising or is it just me?_ Stone wasn't quite sure as he started to sink watching the light from the upper deck become dimmer and the scenery around him fell darker as if he were falling down a well in slow motion unable to make out the shapes of the bricks around him forming the tunnel down. His heart were hit with a pang of regret. He never got to admit it to the man's face.

He never got to admit his feelings to the doctor and that was the part that hurt the most. Not only have given away his pet cat Pebbles into a nice cozy forest as the quarantine had started and hoping for the best that the cat would be able to survive unlike him. He wondered to himself for a moment if Pebbles were alright. Pebbles had to be okay one way or another.

The cat always had a thing of delivering rodents to him as gifts as a outside cat after he took her in. Her way of thanking him and he had cast her aside without a collar, but a microchip, without giving her thanks. Perhaps allowing her a chance to live was his way of thanking her. It was his way of paying the due. And then his mind drifted toward the doctor who had thanked him, but, he hadn't thanked the doctor for coming back to Earth and lighting his life up in ways that were wonderful and challenging. His body fell numb.

Then he felt lips on his own and air that was being sent through his throat. That was the first thing he was able to feel in the dark. Something thrust against his chest against the sound of muffled angry shouting. It sounded familiar to the agent. What was it? It sounded similar to the voice of the one person that he had worked alongside for several years.

The man was a doctor, a quite old one that was aging well--- _Ivo_!

"Come on! Come on! Don't be so stubborn going down on me, Agent Stone! Didn't you say the evil die old? Didn't you! COME ON!"

He sounded angry, distraught, and _desperate_.

"Work with me, work with me, work with me wherever the hell you are!"

The kind of desperate that Stone hadn't thought he would hear, again, not since the mission ten years ago where a rogue programmer had sent a virus into the doctor's old computer and the screen danced with colorful colors as he cried for the machine to fight back, inanimated as it was, watching to his horror as the old computer gave up the fight and changed into a black screen. It had been his favorite creation and most beloved creation beside the eggbots. Robotnik _did_ care about him as he did about his eggbots.

"Stone, don't go! Please! Come back! I love you!"

Did he just---Stone came climbing up the tunnel. Did he mean it? Did he really mean that he returned the feelings that Stone had? Only one way was certain as he saw light ahead of him. Yet, he sensed it were genuine from the older man but being under distress could force anyone to say anything. Stone wanted to hear it alive coming from the older man. Stone came back out of the dark in the middle of what felt to be most appropriate to call a kiss. The older man leaned back and the water came crashing down to the ground then the agent coughed. Robotnik smacked the agent's back not once but multiple times.

"Get it out of there, you stupid little agent!"

"Did you mean it?" Stone asked then gagged. 

"There." Robotnik smacked the man's back and the last bit of water was gone.

"Did you?" Stone asked. 

"I do, erm, um. I am sure this breaks several rules about employer and employee relationship." Stone was smiling, simplingly, as the doctor started to babble. "But! Those rules don't apply to me because I am above aaaallllllllllllllll the laws as a member----" the doctor was seated criss cross applesauce as twirled his finger toward the left. "--that makes sure America is running like a well oiled machine which means I get to do whatever I want."

"Or, what about screw whoever you want?"

"That, too." Robotnik said. "So, Aban, uh. . ." The corridor had the hulls lowered and they were in the middle of the ocean with the sun starting to rest. "What do you say about _that_?"

"I love you." Stone said. "I fell in love with you the first moment I laid eyes on you, the first moment you made me smile, the first moment that you made me feel something that I would only get to feel as a spy could be made by for torture purposes."

"And when was that?" Robotnik said.

"The first day." Stone replied as he fiddled with his fingers in his lap. "Do you mean it, really?"

"I. . . I have never said this to anyone since I was twenty-five at least twice." Robotnik admitted. "And all those relationships before that ended badly. Even after."

The doctor winced with disgust.

"They were baloney anyway, who cares?" The doctor shook his head and shrugged off the past as if it were a blanket that mattered little to him. "They were never from time to time on my level as you were."

The agent looked on in anticipation with his brows raised.

"I haven't really felt these feelings with anyone else this strongly until your ugly and disdainful little face came along."

The agent began to smile widely at the reply from the older man's reply that was genuine.

"You didn't make me weaker as I thought you would sticking around for long." Was the admission that came from the doctor. "You made me stronger and more feared across the spectrum and made my negotiations with world leaders more easier to get done when I had my head buried in other matters. Being there made me realize how much I missed you even how much you were really part of my life."

The agent reached his hand out then patted on the man's shoulder.

"I. . . I. . . I . . ." Robotnik tried to start.

Stone put a finger on Robotnik's lips.

"You're not ready to say it to my face, aren't you?" Stone asked. 

Ashamed, Robotnik shook his head.

"Take all the time in the world, Ivo. Because I love you, too." He withdrew his finger off the doctor's lips. "To the end of time." the agent placed his hand into his lap. "If you go to another alien planet for a mission then I am going with you. Don't matter where it is or what the mission is."

"Don't these kind of love confessions end with kissing?" Robotnik asked. "This feels awfully disappointing and lackluster."

The agent danced his brows.

"You think this is lack luster?" Stone asked.

Robotnik folded his arms.

"Of course, it is! I can't even say it!" Robotnik said. "When I was your age--I was the master of love confessions!"

The agent smiled, fondly, visualizing the doctor as a young man making his love declarations and open for people to come into his life physically. All before he became the sour, mean, but otherwise hammy yet secretly soft man. His smile grew even wider at the bittersweet journey that lead the doctor to finding the one. It was only saddening it took so long.

"You are doing fine, sweetie." Stone said.

Robotnik shook his head with a sigh and lowered his head.

"I feel like a sham." Robotnik admitted. 

Stone lifted the man's chin up toward him.

"Not to me." Stone said.

It was a unexpected kiss that surprise the doctor but he returned it and they were riding the sea as the doctor raised his hand up and summoned the barrier to come up halfway summoning up a balcony. It was a passionate kiss that was a firework to fifteen years of yearning, of pining, of uncertainty, and reciprocated feelings that turned out to be true. It was the agent who ended the kiss after a long moment once the sun set beneath the horizon then smiled back, small, toward the doctor.

"I like to study this, Stone." Robotnik said. "I haven't had one like it in my entire wooing career."

"You get to have all the time to study it, Doctor." Stone said as he got up using the balcony as his support to his feet. "Got a room that dries off people?" 

"I do." Robntik said.

Stone helped Robotnik up to his feet then the older man put a command and the rest of the walls came up.

"Lead me."

So Robotnik did, this time holding the agent's hand (as though afraid, if he were to let go then he would lose Stonem heading up the stairs) and the agent went along with him. 

"This way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like the idea that Stone has a cat named Pebbles is all.


	21. Patient Zero begins their day

It was the second morning when Varilyn heard knocking on her door. She slipped on a top and comfortable pants. She combed her hands through her large mess of curly hair then made her way to the door being dogged by the many cats including Lordy. She came to a pause at the door then slid it open taking out a large bat then lowered it once she saw the people standing in front of the doorway that was a rounded hazmat tunnel.

"What do you need?"

"We need you to be a doctor and breathe in the same room as the president and the vice president." Robotnik said.

"They already have a doctor." Varilyn said.

"They have none right now slated for the current one." Stone said.

"Why do they have none?" Varilyn asked. "Did she get sick?"

"She didn't." Stone replied over the mewing of the cats.

"The President fired Doctor Birx as of recently because she has gone against his propaganda that everything is going to be fine in two weeks as she has been doing for the last year." Stone explained. "Doctor Fauci has refused to return to his disinformation press conferences and has been giving youtube, instagram, and reddit interviews on how things are going in the field of medicine regarding the cure."

Varilyn stared at the men.

"Doctor Robotnik, why don't you hand it off to everyone?"

"Because the president will claim that he ordered me to do it and he will ruin the moment." Was the reply. "I don't want to share my patent with his name." the older man shook his head. "Any name but HIS." his voice was layered in disgust and hate.

Varilyn nodded.

"What is your email address?" Stone asked.

"VariCacu@yahoo.com."

"Sent." Stone replied. "Your new name and lines should appear in five minutes in your email."

"We have made a passageway for the drone to drop you off at the place the secret service will pick you up." Robotnik pointed toward his left -- right in the direction of the agent-- then lowered his hand as Varilyn toed her cats back inside of the apartment over their confused mewing. "It would be best if you used any Halloween make up that you have to make yourself look different. Scarring, hair dye, wigs, anything so your family and friends won't recognize you."

"I got just the equipment." Varilyn said. "You can count on me."

"Let's go, Agent Stone." 

Robotnik walked off then Stone held his hand up and performed the iconic show of peace.

"Thank you for your service." Stone said.

"Peace and long life." Varilyn smiled then watched the agent go on.

Varilyn closed the door then returned to her bathroom and changed into a proper outfit consisting of a dark blue business suit. She took off her wig to reveal her bald head then took off her cancer chemo badge and replaced it with a new one. She put on a new wig that had brown curly hair, slid open a drawer with make up and Halloween make up then took out the necessary equipment setting it on the counter. And last, Lordy came up holding on to a large set of rounded glasses.

"Thank you, my lord."

Lordy mewed as she set the glasses on the tip of her nose.

"I knew a day would come that my Harriet Potter make up equipment would come in handy."

Then she proceeded to set up her facial features with fake scars and a birth mark sporting a grin of her own over the course of a hour with care. Varilyn turned around then proceeded to walk out of the room tailed by Lordy until she closed the door behind her and followed the path to the drone.

The window was partially open and the seat waited below her over the ledge. She hopped into the drone then the door closed behind her and she was directed to the site. She read the email and proceeded to memorize it as a doctor with the necessary credentials to enter the white house. The name that she was to weld with confidence and four walls around her feelings of being on the spotlight had to be ran through time and time again.

Doctor Zachary Spock.

_Odd name._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did intend from the very moment that I introduced Lordy the cat that I would introduce a Harry Potter reference. It was meant to be a blunt one but I feel now the name itself has no connotation to Lord Voldemort. XD


	22. Grim Reaper reaps

Two children came in with difficulty breathing for what felt to be the hundredth time. The children were the ones who were easier to save their lives as the ladder went up regarding the care for people stricken with the virus. Patients were lined against the walls in cots with their equipment plugged into outlets. The doctors didn't have to test the children; the persistent coughing and the sweat dripping down their skin was enough.

"I didn't know! How could I have known? The President said the Coronavirus is gone! How could I have known!"

The staff paid little attention to the forty some year old father and mother who weeping as they saw their children struggling to breathe on the cots lined against the wall. A makeshift water extraction unit was sent into the children's throats then it fell into the readily available bucket where it quickly dripped into and the other contraption that was part of it was being pressed repeatedly providing the children with oxygen. 

"Have them wait outside."

The heavily protected volunteer officers guided the parents away as they wailed. 

"Get two ventilators for the patients, nurse Earlheart."

"We don't have enough ventilators!" Earlheart replied as the wailing grew distant.

The doctor jotted down on the cracked screen with his fingers. 

"Then find some that can be transferred." Was the reply.

Earlheart grimaced. 

"There is two patients that are close by who were put on the ventilators a day ago." Earlheart said. 

"Use theirs."

Earlheart paled in horror.

"But, Doctor, these are very important people." Replied the nurse.

"I don't care who they are, Nurse Earlheart." The doctor said. "Only the Lord does and he will handle it from here."

Nurse Earlheart nodded.

"Alright."

"We have two children dying because their father thought nothing was going to happen to them. Innocent children. Earlheart, please, acquire them." Then the younger doctor added in the next breath, "Put the patients on morphine in the mean time. It is the least we can do."

Earlheart nodded, grimly, then strolled her way to the separate rooms that held the patients. She took out the ventilators then put in morphine to ease the pain. Their normally mockable features were still and silent, twitching if occasionally, as she departed. The last one that she had to take the ventilator out was quiet--not loud, grumbling, or saying words that were so foul against others that his words could be called war crimes, hate crimes, and crimes of terror against humanity.

She departed the room and returned to the room of the soon-to-be deceased with confidence in her step and a deep grim feeling that lingered in her heart. Wails echoed behind her but no one did a thing with their hands tied behind their backs as the children were hooked up to the ventilators and took over the slack that the lungs had taken. The high pitch wailing from down the hall ended. Five minutes later, another wail came from the opposing hall from yet another person losing their ventilator. Five minutes after, the same noise.

It was a noise that Earlheart hated with every fiber of her heart as she negotiated in her mind to do what was right and prayed to the Lord that they forgive her for her actions. Some of the patients were doing well after being taken off the machines but most were not. Earlheart made a stroll for the bathroom then slipped off her hand made face mask and hit her back against the wall then proceeded to sink down starting to cry as her figure trembled as the sound of the machines wailing echoed in her ears. 

The sound of people drowning and she couldn't help them at all.

It was the helplessness that drove her to medicine to prevent herself from being that way being on the front lines.

She became helpless, anyway, as she screamed in agony and despair as she wept.


	23. Epilogue

It was a few weeks later did the cure be handed out to the World Health Organization and perform several test trials. It didn't take long for the trials to turn out promising and hopeful with its side effects that couldn't be avoided. To think, it had only taken a man to be bothered by the common flu to go on and make the universal cure for illnesses.

Varilyn was awarded, in private, by the CIA for her effort in bringing chaos to a end. Robotnik and Stone spent some time in quarantine waiting for the national lockdown to end as they watched the definition of treason return to what it had once been and protesters slip away replaced by the maniac screaming neo-nazis hollering 'CONSPIRACY' and 'MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN'. The doctor shook his head and changed the screen to a video game that he were playing with the agent tuning out the news.

The doctor returned with two suits and tossed one to the agent.

"Get changed and get sanitized in that machine over there after you get inside the suit. Don't want to miss the beam out for our first holiday."

Stone did as he was instructed then was joined by the doctor.

"What is this?"

"It's the suit cleaner. I have been working on this for ages so I don't have to recycle all those suits."

Stone smiled.

"Suits you."

Doctor Robotnik snapped his fingers.

"Transport daddy!" And Robotnik struck a pose with a grin.

They were beamed up to the secret space station in a brilliant bright blue light. The doctor lost his pose then admired the scenery around him taking it in awe. He heard the sound of running headed toward the doorway as Stone looked around in awe. It wasn't quite how he had anticipated it or thought it would look. It wasn't new and sparkling, it looked old and well used showing its age.

"Wait for grandfather, Maria!"

Maria appeared at the center of the threshold.

"Doctor Robbie!"

Maria crashed Robotnik to the floor who landed with a "OOOF!" and moments later, there was laughter. Stone looked upon the sight as Robotnik was shaking beneath the transparent spacesuit with laughter. The older man leaned up from the floor returning the hug that the little girl had crashed him down to. Gerald appeared in the center of the doorway sporting a grin beneath the finely aged mustache.

"Ah, hello there, Agent Stone." Gerald said. "It is good to see you face to face. Is the second plague over?"

"Very dead." Stone replied.

"Thank the lord for modern medicine!" Gerald said.

"How is the little devil?" Stone asked.

Gerald smiled then unhid the small black and red ball from his uniform revealing Shadow snoring away wearing a diaper.

"Sleeping as he does most of the time." Gerald said.

"Look at you, you're grown so much!" Robotnik said. "So grown!"

"You're shorter than I imagined." Maria said.

"Short? MEEEE shooooort! SHOOORT?" Robotnik leaped to his feet and towered over her. "I am the Godzilla of this family! GODZILLLLLAAAAA IS GOING TO QUASH YOU!"

Maria shrieked then laughed as she bolted on from Robotnik as Stone and Gerald shook hands then observed the two running down the corridor as the doctor was making noises that sounded beneath him. Stone started to laugh then so did Gerald. Stone was grinning so much that it hurt and it made him feel the happiest that he had ever been. Inwardly, he was grinning wickedly, impossibly, to the power that his body couldn't restrict.

* * *

Like many weeks after returning to Earth, the agent didn't scream at night from the night terror since the first night they had to bunk up. The first few nights of the man's night terrors opened a new level to their relationship and brought them even closer to the other. Stone got up from bed one morning on February 1st then looked upon the man snoring away with a drool. Stone smiled then wiped off the drool from the man's mouth then got up from bed and left.

The doctor awoke that morning with his figure being what it once was, thin and nice, with little sign that he had once been mildly obese. He stretched then went into the shower and got changed into proper clothing. He slouched, putting on his dark morning bath robe then exited the room and made his exit out of the bedroom.

It was dark in the lair. He couldn't see any of the red lights coming from his drones. It was strange. It was if his lair had been shut down--but it hadn't, it wasn't cold or too warm which meant that power was still carried through the building. How odd it was that way. He came down the stairs looking on quite cautious and nearly slipped and fell down the stairs if the rail hadn't been installed with his heart pounding looming over what he knew was there.

The doctor descended down the stairs then sensed that he were surrounded. What happened promptly was heard by a series of yelps, grunts, and sounds of bodies hitting the ground. Then there was groaning. The lights came back to life revealing commanders, generals, agents, dozens of security teams out cold on the ground. Even Agent Stone was unconscious and there was a birthday cake on a table with roses and edible replicas of the eggbots. 

Slowly, Commander Walters propped himself up.

"Happy late 59th birthday, Doctor."

Then he fainted from the concussion that Doctor Robotnik had given him then the doctor observed decoration around the place and confetti fell above his head.

* * *

It's after the party had finally started, after everyone awakened, had drinks, celebrated and praised Robotnik's ego, did the doctor have a moment to himself in the laboratory part of the lab. There was a mission that was to be handed but first thing was first; Robotnik checked the last report Eggy had given of the residence then frowned; the life sign of the cat was missing. There was no body but there were plenty of signs the cat existed around the house at one point in life going from the litter box, the cat tree, and cat toys. 

He sends five spare drones to search for the cat.

It made sense why Stone spent his spare time searching for the cat at the nearest forest coming back with tears in his clothing and cuts.

Even a notably reason why he had to send Eggy to his rescue when a protective mother bear towered over the agent.

* * *

The night terrors finally ended for the agent after weeks of staying with the doctor. Stone rested in his apartment feeling back on his two feet and whole. He heard the sound of scratching coming from the door. He slid the blanket aside as his eyes struggled to flutter open then trudged his way to the door. The agent paused then grabbed hold of the handle and twisted it. 

The agent opened the door and looked from side to side searching in the dark. He shrugged then closed the door and started to walk away back toward the bedroom. There came the same scratching a second time. He did another sweep then turned away closing the door. The scratching returned so he came back a third time then looked down.

He spotted the calico cat seated on the ground in front of him, meowing, by now.

"Pebbles!"

Stone knelt down and caught the cat into a hug.

"You are alive!"

Pebbles rubbed the side of her cheek alongside Stone with a loud purr.

"I thought you didn't make it out there."

Stone turned around and closed the door as Pebbles mewed.

Robotnik smiled, leaning back into the chair with his hands behind his head perfectly content watching the livestream video play. 

* * *

Robotnik and Stone were on a beach enjoying little company surrounded by the eggbots laying on towers of a castle behind them with Pebbles resting on one of the towers a week after the reunion between human and pet. The men wore sunscreen and shades as the sun baked their skin enjoying the sounds of little laughter and dogs running the beach. 

"Did interim president Pelosi talk to you about your part?" Stone asked. 

"I don't know if she were aware of the event." Robotnik shrugged. 

"She was very well aware." Stone said.

"How do you know?" Robotnik asked. 

Stone picked up the phone then read what was on the screen after swiping.

"Dear Doctor Robotnik: You have made a terrible mistake. A very grave mistake. Don't do that ever again or you will face the dire consequences for assassinating a American President. We welcome your effort in curing the rest of the world of the contagion but never do that ever that again. Blood is on your hands."

"Yadah yadah yadah." Robotnik shook his hand. "Can't take a gift in restoring democracy."

"We did assassinate the president." Stone pointed out.

"How did she find out?" Robotnik said. "She has been in prison along with her democratic colleagues for treason for humiliating the former president." Robotnik reminded the younger man with a shake of his head. 

"Everyone has their sources." Stone replied. "It takes only a slip up to start a stone rolling."

"She has been too busy getting to speak with the energy CEOS, oil CEOS, transportation CEOS about making a transition to renewable energy and reducing the carbon foot print to ask how he caught it." Robotnik shook his hand then slouched in the chair and sipped from the cup through the straw. He set the up aside on to the cup on the arm rest. "Least, that is how I feel it as."

"She doesn't strike me as being very happy having to do this with her last press conference."

"That is a plan which requires lots of diplomacy, setting a strict transition from fossil fuels to electric vehicles, lots of time, and patience." Robotnik took another sip from his cup between his replies to the younger man. The older man leaned his back against the chair enjoying the fresh air of hawaii. "Setting up the building block for the 46th President to care for. Hell of a thing to start and it isn't easy."

"She will be much happier when the election happens." Stone said. "This special election is so chaotic because it has never been done before." he sighed facing the sky with a warm thought that eased his mind. "I will be happy when that event is over in the world of politics."

"So will I." Robotnik said. "Speaking of slip ups, I have had some."

"What kind of slip ups?" Stone asked, quite concerned.

"That blue over grown rat appearing in my peripheral vision when I am doing yoga outside of the lair."

"How often does this happen?" Stone was interested.

"Not often but it is getting on my nerves." Robotnik shook his head. "I may need to get a brain scan for these hallucinations."

"It doesn't happen often, Doctor. It's just your imagination at work." Stone put a hand on Robotnik's shoulder and gave it a squeeze with a smile. "Has to be the stress of being stuck at one place for more than one day."

"We are in the eye of a hurricane." Robotnik said. "I am enjoying it as muuuch as I can."

Stone laughed as he leaned back into the chair then typed into his phone and hit send.

"Not bad of a vacation." Stone said.

"Uh huh." Pebbles crashed into Robotnik's lap then twirled and came to a halt. "Stone, get your thorny feline OFF MY LAP OR I WILL DECLAW HER AND MAKE HEEEEEER GO HAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRLESS!"

Stone lifted Pebbles, who mewed in distress, setting her on to his lap.

"Can you do that?"

"Part of the option in my nanobotnik invention." Robotnik said. 

Stone smiled as he stroked Pebbles in his lap then he and Robotnik faced the view of the crashing waves with surfers on the top

"That is a wonderful invention, Ivo." Stone said. "Could do wonders for people with allergies to cats."

Robotnik turned his attention toward Stone.

"I love you." Robotnilk replied, unexpectedly, taking Stone's free hand.

"I love you, too." Stone replied as he squeezed the older man's hand with a dotting look in his eyes facing Robotnik happily.

They turned their attention upon the ocean ahead of them and Robotnik pressed a button then a Russian spy plane fell in the distance.

"Let's stick around for a few minutes." Robotnik said. "And enjoy all the screaming."

"I like the idea of that." Stone said with a warm smile.

Distantly, but very far away, hours later at Green Hills; Sonic was scolded by Maddie and Tom as a team then grounded him from video games for a month.

 **And they lived their happily ever after.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I am so fond of Sonic getting grounded, but I just am.


End file.
